Keyword Life-threatening operational situations

What are “dirty bombs”?

A radiological weapon, also known as a dirty bomb or radiological dispersion device, is, according to the definition of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, a weapon of mass destruction, which, according to modern understanding, consists of a conventional explosive device that, when exploded, releases radioactive material into it distributed throughout the environment. Unlike a nuclear weapon, there is no nuclear reaction.

Dirty bombs are also called explosive devices that contain biological or chemical substances (USBV-B or -C). However, the distinction from other B weapons and C weapons is imprecise, as the distinction between the effect of nuclear fission and the effect of contamination is no longer applicable.

psychological effect

Dirty bombs have an enormous psychological impact: they are perceived as threatening and very dangerous.

Further information

• Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief: “CBRN Protection”, https://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/Themen/CBRN-Schutz/cbrn-schutz_node.html
• Federal Office for Radiation Protection: “Misuse of radioactive material in conjunction with conventional explosives (“dirty bomb”)”, https://www.bfs.de/DE/themen/ion/notfallschutz/bfs/gefahrenabwehr/schmutzige-bombe.html#:~:text=%20%20%201%20%22Schmutzige%20Bomben%22%20sind%20Vorrichtungen,%22Schmutzigen%20Bombe%22%20werden%20im%20Allgemeinen%20%C3%BCbersch%C3%A4tzt.%20More%20

Publications

• SWR2: “The fear of the dirty bomb”, https://www.swr.de/-/id=14292302/property=download/nid=660374/1j3tg9/swr2-wissen-20141110.pdf
• Deutsche Welle: “Technology against Terror: Dirty Bombs in Containers”, https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/technik-gegen-terror-schmutzige-bomben-im-container-100.html
• Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung: “Anti-terror exercise in Mannheim: A dead person in the bathroom, a laboratory in the kitchen,” https://www.rnz.de/politik/suedwest_artikel,-anti-terror-Uebung-in-mannheim-ein-toter-im-bad-ein-labor-in-der-kueche-_arid,469119.html
• SPIEGELonline: “What is a “dirty bomb”?” https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/hintergrund-was-ist-eine-schmutzige-bombe-a-200253.html
• Süddeutsche Zeitung online: “How great the danger from “dirty bombs” is”, https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/atomwaffen-wie-gross-die-gefahr-durch-schmutzige-bomben-ist-1.2930015
• heise online: “Dirty bombs as psychological weapons”, https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Schmutzige-Bomben-als-Psycho-Waffe-276927.html

New challenges for authorities and organizations with security tasks

The topic of “security” and the associated questions of tactical self-protection of emergency services have been changing in many ways for several years.

Examples of reasons include:

• Classic conflicts between nations become conflicts between cultures;
• well-known confrontation mechanisms become asymmetrical;
• Perpetrators or groups of perpetrators can no longer be clearly identified;
• State authorities and also dangerous people are in an escalating state of technological upgrading;
• the subjective feeling of security deteriorates;
• organized crime is increasing;
• etc.

Damage events caused by amok or terrorist situations present authorities and organizations with security tasks (BOS) with new challenges for education and training.