Technest Holdings, a defense and homeland security company, has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, EOIR Technologies, was selected by the U.S. Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) to provide engineering services and support to the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Humanitarian De-mining Research and Development Program (HD R&D).

EOIR will aid the DoD HD R&D in designing and testing technologies that improve the safety and efficiency of de-mining. The HD R&D began in 1994 and focuses on the research and development of workable prototypes that reduce the time and cost associated for mine and minefield detection and neutralization while enhancing operator safety. The HD R&D deploys equipment to more than 25 countries. Current detection technologies developed under the project involve improved electromagnetic detection,various forms of ground-penetrating radar, infrared cameras, chemical detection of explosive vapor from buried land mines and an aerial sensor platform for wide-area detection.

Larry Bramlette, division director for EOIR Technologies, stated, “We look forward to working with the Department of Defense in meeting the needs caused by hazardous land mines by developing a more efficient technology that addresses the issue of hazardous land mines left behind from previous wars. This task is aimed at limiting the massive humanitarian and environmental damage that land mines create. Our effort in facilitating the development of technology that improves the safety and efficiency of de-mining in conjunction with the U.S. Army is carried out through our existing omnibus NVESD contract.”

Bramlette continued, “The issue of de-mining is particularly important to U.S. armed services, especially when military units deploy for peacekeeping and stability operations. The exposure to hazardous land mines is at its peak immediately following the cessation of fighting. At this time, soldiers need the means to detect and clear all land mines in the affected war zone.”

Additionally, EOIR Technologies received $1.4 million in additional incremental funding on existing delivery orders for engineering support under its NVESD omnibus contract. This increase in funds brings the total funding for the performance award year, which was awarded on July 1, 2006, to $118 million and the total funds for this contract to $267 million.

For more information, visit www.eoir.com and www.technestholdings.com.