Wilmington, MA — Ahura Scientific, Inc., a leader in handheld systems for chemicalentification, today announced a major order from the National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams (WMD-CSTs).  After an extensive evaluation, FirstDefender was selected for deployment to all WMD-CSTs nationwide based on its unique features including hand portability,entification of mixed chemicals and certified MIL-STD 810F ruggedness. A total of 65 instruments and fiber-optic extension probes will be delivered, valued at $2.6M.  Each of the 55 WMD-CSTs will receive one instrument, with the remaining ten units deployed to the U.S. Army Chemical School for training and to the Consequence Management Support Center. “Ahura Scientific has worked closely with the National Guard Civil Support Teams and we’re pleased to continue to play a significant role in their chemicalentification capabilities,” said Doug Kahn, chairman and CEO at Ahura Scientific, Inc.  “We look forward to building on this relationship in years to come.” FirstDefender is deployed by hazmat teams across the country including the Fire Departments of New York, Washington, DC, Orlando and  Seattle.  Numerous federal agencies including the U.S. Army, U.S. Customs and Immigration, U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are actively using the product, along with more than 150 other agencies in North America, Europe and Asia.  Independently tested by the U.S. Army’s Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) and NSERP-approved, FirstDefender is available via federal and state grants, the New York State HIRE contract, the GSA schedule and CEDAP. About Ahura Scientific, Inc. Ahura Scientific, Inc. develops rugged, ultra-compact, field-enabled optical systems for the immediateentification and authentication of liquid and solid chemical substances. Customers include the homeland security, life sciences, industrial and medical markets. Manufactured in the USA in an ISO 9001-certified facility, the company’s products offer exceptional portability and unparalleled performance. More information at www.ahurascientific.com. For more information, contact: Kerstin Barr Ahura Scientific, Inc. Phone: (978) 642.2547 Email: kbarr@ahurascientific.com