CWAs & PBAs

A-Series agents, potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with signs and symptoms similar to traditional G- and V-Series nerve agents, were designed with specific knowledge of existing chemical warfare agent detectors, NATO detection, and protective equipment, with the goal of countering those protection methods.

They tend to be oily liquids which produce little to no vapors. They pose significant cross-contamination and exposure risks due to a combination of high potency and environmental persistence, and consequently a small release can rapidly become a large-area hazard.

Due to their increased potency they often require higher antidote doses and can create additional vapor hazards when improperly decontaminated.

Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl pose a similar risk to nerve agents with their potency and potential lethality. These are often referred to as pharmaceutical based agents (PBAs).

While not unique to Russia, these agents were first deliberately weaponized during the Moscow theater crisis where approximately 170 people died from respiratory arrest after a PBA mixture was disseminated in aerosol form.

Synthetic opioids are readily available through global illicit supply chains and are also synthesized by state actors. There are hundreds to thousands of potential PBA options, none of which are detected by traditional CBRNE detection technology during an aerosol dispersal event.