US Navy deploys portable DNA sequencer to detect biological threats

The U.S. military has unveiled a breakthrough biological detection capability that allows personnel to identify dangerous pathogens in the field within minutes, a development that could significantly enhance responses to emerging and potentially engineered biological threats.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), working alongside the Defence Threat Reduction Agency and Army and Navy research organisations, has successfully developed and fielded a portable genetic sequencing system capable of performing advanced biological analysis far from traditional laboratory settings, according to Defence Blog.

The system, known as Far-Forward Biological Sequencing (FFBS), enables military personnel operating in remote environments—from deserts and ships at sea to Arctic deployments—to sequence DNA and RNA directly on site and identify harmful microorganisms in less than 30 minutes. The technology evolved from a decade-long research effort called Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology (F-FAST), which aimed to bring laboratory-grade genetic analysis to the tactical edge of military operations.

Traditionally, DNA and RNA sequencing has required specialised laboratories, expensive equipment, controlled environments and highly trained scientists. The challenge facing researchers was to create a system that could be operated by personnel without advanced molecular biology training while maintaining reliability under harsh operational conditions.

Dr. Peter Matic, Associate Director of Research at the Naval Research Laboratory, highlighted the significance of the technology.

“By characterising genetic material directly,” Matic said, “Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology, or F-FAST, and Far-Forward Biological Sequencing, or FFBS, can confirm results from targeted tests, detect previously unknown threats, and provide critical data for medical and operational decision-making at the point of need.”

Unlike conventional rapid diagnostic tests, which are designed to detect only specific known pathogens, genetic sequencing analyses the actual genetic material found in a sample. This allows operators to identify previously unknown organisms, verify specific variants of known pathogens and potentially detect signs of genetic engineering.

Lt. Cmdr. Chaselynn Watters, formerly of the Naval Medical Research Command’s Biological Defence Research Directorate mobile laboratory team, emphasised the operational implications of the capability.

“The ability to conduct sequencing in the field and even identify synthetically modified genes is a huge step in deterring biothreats,” Watters said. “I am not aware of anyone else in the U.S. operating at this technical level in the field.”

According to Defence Blog, the technology underwent extensive testing during military exercises, including Desert Ice, Bronze Ram, Arctic Edge and the multinational Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. These trials exposed the system to diverse environmental conditions ranging from extreme heat to Arctic cold.

“We worked side-by-side with Navy and Army partners in environments ranging from desert exercises to Arctic operations,” said Gary Vora, an NRL principal investigator for F-FAST. “That allowed us to see firsthand how sequencing could be integrated into real-world missions and to refine the system based on operator feedback.”

The project brought together expertise from multiple military organisations, including the Naval Medical Research Command’s Biological Defence Research Directorate, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Centre, and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.

With FFBS now transitioning from research to operational deployment across U.S. military units, training programs for Navy microbiologists and hospital corpsmen are already underway. Brandy White, Director of the NRL Centre for Biomolecular Science and Engineering, said the achievement marks a major shift in biological defence capabilities.

“By transforming complex laboratory science into a deployable capability,” White said, “our scientists are helping Sailors, Marines, and joint force across the Department of War respond to biological threats with speed and confidence.”

By Sabina Mammadli