Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel has ordered advanced decontamination systems from
Germany.

Officials said Germany has agreed to donate the TEP-90 decontamination
system to Israel.

The officials said up to eight TEP-90s could arrive in Israel over
the next year.

“The first will arrive around June and undergo tests before additional
systems are requested,” an official said.

TEP-90, produced by Karcher Group, was designed to be mounted on a vehicle, particularly the Iveco Trakker 8×8 truck, and identify nuclear, biological, chemical agents. The system, already supplied to Germany’s Federal Defense Force, was meant to decontaminate facilities as well as armored vehicles, surface vessels and runways.

Israel has been using U.S.-origin decontaminators for the military’s
Home Front Command. Officials said the command as well as the Air Force and Army would demonstrate TEP-90 in mid-2012.

The military and government have been conducting large-scale civil
defense exercises meant to simulate a massive missile attack on Israel. On
May 3, the Tel Aviv area was enveloped by an odor that resembled chlorine.

“The smell resulted from an IDF Home Front Command drill in Ramat Gan,”
an Israeli military source was quoted as saying by the Ynet website. “This
drill is being held by a certain Home Front unit, and we don’t know
precisely what gas is being used.”

  Germany donates decontamination systems to Israel, Home Front Command, Iveco Trakker 8×8 truck, Karcher Group, TEP-90 decontamination system