Detector for Explosives & Narcotics Chemical Warfare Agents | Godrej Security Solutions
Kerber-T Detector: Trace Detection of Explosives, Narcotics & Chemical Warfare Agents
Introduction: finding threats you cannot see
The Kerber-T is a portable trace detector that identifies explosives, narcotics, hazardous industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in under 5 seconds, from the air or from surfaces, skin and clothing.
Modern threats rarely announce themselves. A person who has handled an explosive, a parcel that once held narcotics, or a room where a toxic chemical has leaked may all look completely ordinary. What they leave behind is a trace: microscopic particles or faint vapours, often in quantities far too small to see or smell.
That is the gap trace detection fills. Instead of looking for a bomb or a bag of drugs, a trace detector looks for the chemical fingerprint those materials leave behind. The Kerber-T, part of the Godrej Bomb Detection and Disposal (BDD) product line, brings this capability into one compact, 3.7 kg instrument that a security officer can carry to the point of need.
In this article we walk through what the Kerber-T is, how its detection technology works, and what each of its key features means in day-to-day security operations.
What is the Kerber-T? Ion drift detection explained
The Kerber-T is an ion drift detector: it identifies a substance by how fast its ions travel through a gas-filled tube under an electric field.
This technique is widely known as ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), and it is the same principle used by trace detectors at airports, border crossings and critical infrastructure sites around the world. The process happens in a few simple stages:
Sampling. The detector draws in air (vapour mode) or analyses particles collected from the surface of an item, a person's skin or their clothing.
Ionization. Molecules in the sample are given an electrical charge. In the Kerber-T this is done by a pulsed corona discharge, explained in detail below.
Drift. The charged molecules, now ions, are pushed down a drift tube by an electric field. Small, compact ions move quickly; larger or bulkier ions are slowed by collisions with the gas in the tube.
Measurement. A detector at the end of the tube records exactly when each group of ions arrives. This arrival time, or drift time, is characteristic of each chemical.
Identification. The instrument compares the measured pattern with its built-in library of known substances. If it matches an explosive, drug, toxic chemical or warfare agent, the operator is alerted and the substance is named on screen.
The whole sequence, from sample to a named result, completes in 5 seconds or less.
Because every substance has its own drift signature, a single instrument can screen for many very different threats at once. That is why the Kerber-T can cover explosives, narcotics, industrial chemicals and CWAs in one device rather than needing a separate tool for each.
According to the catalogue, the Kerber-T can detect trace quantities in the air, or on the surface of items, skin and clothing. This dual capability matters: vapour detection helps sweep an area or container, while surface sampling lets officers check a specific bag, document, vehicle handle or a person's hands.
Key features in detail
Each headline specification of the Kerber-T solves a practical problem that security teams face in the field. Here is what each one is and why it matters.
1. Non-radioactive ionization source
What the catalogue says: the device uses a pulsed corona discharge as its ionization source, which is non-radioactive.
What it means: many traditional trace detectors ionize their samples using a small radioactive source, most commonly Nickel-63. It works well, but it brings a lot of baggage: radiation licensing, special handling and labelling, periodic leak testing, restrictions on shipping across borders, and careful disposal at the end of the device's life.
A corona discharge does the same job electrically. A high voltage applied to a fine needle or wire creates a small, controlled discharge that ionizes the air and sample molecules around it. Running it in pulses rather than continuously keeps the ionization efficient and controlled.
Why it matters to you:
No radioactive material to license, register or track
Simpler transport, storage and import procedures
No radioactive waste to dispose of when the unit is retired
Greater peace of mind for operators and for the public being screened
2. Analysis time of 5 seconds maximum
What the catalogue says: detection and identification for all detectable substances takes a maximum of 5 seconds.
What it means: from the moment a sample is introduced, the Kerber-T both detects that something is present and tells the operator what it is within 5 seconds. Detection and identification happen together, so there is no second, slower confirmation step.
Why it matters to you:
Throughput: at checkpoints, every second per screening adds up across hundreds or thousands of people, bags or vehicles.
Decision speed: in an emergency, a responder gets an actionable answer almost immediately.
Less disruption: quick screening keeps queues moving and makes security checks less intrusive for the public.
3. Ready for operation within 15 minutes
What the catalogue says: the device takes a maximum of 15 minutes to switch to operating mode.
What it means: like most IMS instruments, the Kerber-T needs a short warm-up so its drift tube reaches stable temperature and conditions. Stable conditions are what make drift times repeatable, and repeatable drift times are what make identification reliable.
Why it matters to you: a 15-minute ceiling is predictable and easy to plan around. Teams can switch the unit on at the start of a shift, when setting up a temporary checkpoint, or while travelling to an incident, and have it ready by the time screening begins.
4. Compact and portable: 410 x 110 x 170 mm, 3.7 kg
What the catalogue says: the dimensions are 410 x 110 x 170 mm and the weight is 3.7 kg.
What it means: the Kerber-T is roughly the size of a large handheld toolbox, with an integrated carry handle on top and a built-in colour display at the front. At 3.7 kg it can be carried by one person and set on a table, a vehicle bonnet or a checkpoint counter.
Why it matters to you:
Deploy it wherever the threat is, rather than bringing items to a fixed scanner
Suitable for mobile patrols, temporary event security and field inspections
Small footprint for crowded checkpoints and mailrooms
Easy to move between locations in a single shift
5. False alarm rate below 1%
What the catalogue says: the false alarm rate is less than 1%.
What it means: fewer than 1 in 100 screenings should raise an alarm when no target substance is actually present.
Why it matters to you: false alarms are expensive. Each one can mean a secondary search, a delayed passenger or shipment, an evacuation, or an anxious member of the public. Too many false alarms also cause "alarm fatigue", where operators begin to distrust or ignore the device. A low false alarm rate keeps operations flowing and keeps confidence high, so that when the Kerber-T does alarm, the team takes it seriously.
6. A broad threat library in one instrument
What the catalogue says: the Kerber-T can identify a wide range of substances, including various explosives, drugs, hazardous chemicals and chemical warfare agents.
The catalogue groups its detection capability into four families:
Threat family | Examples named in the catalogue | Typical use case |
Explosives | Various explosives | Bomb threats, VIP security, baggage and vehicle checks |
Narcotics | Cannabinoids, opiates, amphetamines, cocaine | Drug interdiction at borders, ports, prisons and mail centres |
Hazardous industrial chemicals | Hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, ammonia | Industrial leaks, transport accidents, confined-space safety |
Chemical warfare agents | Sarin, soman, mustard gas | Counter-terrorism, CBRN response, military protection |
Why it matters to you: most organizations face more than one kind of threat. A customs post may need to catch drugs today and respond to a suspicious package tomorrow. An industrial site may worry about both chemical leaks and sabotage. Covering all four families in a single device means less equipment to buy, train on, maintain and carry.
Specifications at a glance
Parameter | Kerber-T specification |
Detection technology | Ion drift detection (ion mobility) |
Ionization source | Pulsed corona discharge, non-radioactive |
Sampling modes | Air (vapour); surfaces of items, skin and clothing |
Detection and identification time | 5 seconds maximum |
Time to operating mode | 15 minutes maximum |
Dimensions | 410 x 110 x 170 mm |
Weight | 3.7 kg |
False alarm rate | Less than 1% |
Explosives | Various explosives |
Narcotics | Cannabinoids, opiates, amphetamines, cocaine |
Hazardous chemicals | Hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, ammonia |
Chemical warfare agents | Sarin, soman, mustard gas |
Where the Kerber-T is used
The combination of portability, speed and a broad threat library makes the Kerber-T suited to almost any setting where hidden chemical threats are a concern.
Airports and aviation security: screening passengers, cabin baggage and cargo for explosive and narcotic traces.
Border checkpoints, seaports and customs: detecting drug traces on goods, vehicles, documents and travellers.
Police and bomb disposal squads: checking suspicious objects, vehicles and premises, and confirming whether explosives are present.
VIP protection and public events: sweeping venues, vehicles and access points before and during high-profile events.
Military and paramilitary forces: protecting personnel and bases against explosives and chemical warfare agents.
CBRN and emergency responders: rapidly identifying toxic industrial chemicals or warfare agents at an incident scene.
Critical infrastructure: power plants, refineries, metro systems, government buildings and data centres.
Correctional facilities and mailrooms: stopping drugs and dangerous substances smuggled through visitors, parcels and letters.
Industrial safety: checking for leaks of hydrogen sulfide, chlorine or ammonia in plants, warehouses and during transport.
Why choose the Kerber-T
The Kerber-T gives security teams laboratory-style chemical identification in a 3.7 kg field instrument, without the burden of a radioactive source.
To sum up its advantages:
Safer by design: a non-radioactive corona discharge source removes radiation licensing, handling and disposal concerns.
Fast answers: detection and identification in 5 seconds or less.
Ready when you are: operational within 15 minutes of switching on.
Truly portable: compact 410 x 110 x 170 mm body, carried by one person.
Reliable: a false alarm rate below 1% keeps operations moving and operator confidence high.
Four threats, one device: explosives, narcotics, hazardous chemicals and chemical warfare agents.
Whether you protect an airport, a border, a public event or an industrial site, the Kerber-T helps you detect what the eye cannot see, and act on it within seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Kerber-T detect? Trace quantities of explosives, narcotics (including cannabinoids, opiates, amphetamines and cocaine), hazardous chemicals (such as hydrogen sulfide, chlorine and ammonia) and chemical warfare agents (such as sarin, soman and mustard gas).
Does the Kerber-T contain radioactive material? No. It uses a pulsed corona discharge as its ionization source, which is non-radioactive.
How quickly does it give a result? Detection and identification take a maximum of 5 seconds.
How long does it take to start up? The device reaches operating mode within a maximum of 15 minutes.
Can it screen people as well as objects? Yes. It detects traces in the air and on the surface of items, skin and clothing.
How portable is it? It measures 410 x 110 x 170 mm and weighs 3.7 kg, so one person can carry and operate it.
How often does it give false alarms? The false alarm rate is less than 1%.
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