French airports to receive QS-B220 desktop explosives detectors from Implant Sciences

Implant Sciences has secured a contract to supply its QS-B220 desktop explosives trace detectors to 17 regional airports across France.

Awarded through the company’s in-country, full-service distributor, Hi-Tech Detection Systems (HTDS), the contract covers the delivery of up to 304 QS-B220 detectors.

Implant Sciences Global Sales and Marketing vice-president Dr Darryl Jones said: "The fact that our QS-B220 had STAC certification prior to the creation ECAC standards gave us additional insight into the French aviation market.

"Our systems are highly regarded in the region, and we believe that procurement agents look to the QS-B220’s value and performance and view the choice of selecting our unit as a ‘smart’ decision."

Incorporating the company’s patented non-radioactive ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) analysis technology, the QS-B220 systems perform real-time detection and identification of trace amounts of different military, commercial and homemade explosives, as well as illicit drugs.

The trace detection systems feature a radioactive material-free design, easy-to-use touchscreen user interface, push-button maintenance and diagnostics and a patented inCal internal automatic calibration system, which prevents errors that could result from an uncalibrated instrument.

With significantly lower maintenance requirements than its competing systems, the QS-B220 can be deployed for a much lower total cost of ownership than other approved products.

The first 106 units are scheduled to be handed over in the next several months, while deliveries of the remaining detectors are anticipated to take place through 2016 and 2017.