Teledyne FLIR Defense Supports DHS CWMD’s Securing the Cities Initiative with Advanced Handheld Radiation Detection
Major metropolitan first responders to receive the latest portable nuclear and radiological threat identifiers for domestic target security
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., October 20, 2026--Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), today announced that the Department of Homeland Security's Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) has placed a $6 million order of identiFINDER® R425 handheld radionuclide identification devices. Managed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), this most recent award builds on the company's 19-year history supporting CWMD's Securing the Cities initiative. Bound for fire departments, emergency management agencies, and police departments, the new R425 handheld radiation detection units will expand security capabilities for first responders tasked with safeguarding the country's most densely populated regions.
Teledyne FLIR Defense has been equipping the nation's disaster preparedness community with state-of-the-art detection technology as part of the Securing the Cities' Mobile Detection Deployment Program (MDDP) since its beginning. The program was originally established in the wake of 9/11 to reduce the risk of successful deployment of radiological or nuclear weapons against large urban centers in the United States. The supply of identiFINDER R425 units will further this goal in Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, New York, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, and other key cities throughout the country. Teledyne FLIR Defense will also be supplementing the program through ongoing training events including regional workshops, hands-on exercises, and ongoing technical engagement for end users.
As a widely deployed radionuclide identification device (RID) with over 25,000 units in the field, the identiFINDER R425 offers 360-degree coverage to locate and measure gamma and neutron radioactive sources from a compact, handheld interface. The R425 allows operators to remotely take command and communicate results in any nuclear threat scenario or environment, including those with extremely high gamma fields, without endangering the operators.
"Since 2007, Teledyne FLIR Defense has been proud to support the Securing the Cities mission by strengthening radiation preparedness across the country," said Clint Wichert, Vice President of Detection for Teledyne FLIR Defense. "As longtime partners with the CWMD, we've seen the difference these devices make in protecting against radioactive device deployment, material transport, and illegal possession and storage of hazardous material. While the impact of preparedness is often measured by incidents that never occur, we are proud to help equip first responders with the tools and training they need to keep communities safe."