Croatia Agrees to Collaborate in Testing Loch's New Landmine Detection System
ZAGREB, Croatia --- The Ruder Boskovic Institute announced today that it has formalized an agreement with the United States company Loch Harris, Inc. and its subsidiary: Chemical Detection Technology, Inc. (ChemTech) to participate in bench tests and field tests of a revolutionary new landmine, ELF, detection system. Dr. Vlado Valkovic, Professor of physics, Head of Applied Physics Laboratory at the Institute Ruder Boskovic, and a member of Scientific Council of Croatian Demining Center, CROMAC, confirmed that he had issued a letter of intent on Friday to Loch's subsidiary ChemTech, owners of the technology. Rodney A. Boone, president and CEO of both ChemTech and its parent company, Loch Harris, Inc., has been in Croatia for several days along with Dr. Henry Blair, chief scientist for ChemTech, who developed the system. They have been studying Croatia's severe landmine problem and presented ChemTech's new ELF landmine system to the Institute Ruder Boskovic physicists and officials. "We are pleased that Mr. Boone and Dr. Blair were able to remain long enough to respond immediately and finalize an agreement'', said Dr. Valkovic. While he would not reveal all the terms of the agreement, Dr. Valkovic did release a copy of the essential objectives of the agreement. Ruder Boskovic Institute will collaborate on configuration of the detector prototype, allocate laboratory space, equipment and staff to document, complete initial lab bench testing, and prepare for final field trials. "We will also collaborate on development of testing protocol,'' said Dr. Valkovic. "But perhaps the most significant contributions we in Croatia will make,'' he said, "will be in coordinating live field tests in real, not contrived, conditions.'' Before returning to the United States, Mr. Boone confirmed that statement, "Working with Institute Ruder Boskovic in an area where landmines are a serious real life threat through out the world to innocent victims who are being maimed and killed every day,'' Boone said, "is truly significant in accelerating the reality of our technology.'' The landmine detector's name, ELF, stands for "Eliminate Landmines Forever'' Boone said. Field testing in Croatia is expected to begin by February the 1st, 2000.
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Croatia Agrees to Collaborate in Testing Loch's New Landmine Detection System
