WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio, 4 Feb. 2016. Sensors experts at Leidos Inc. in Reston, Va., are developing a lightweight battery-operated chemical detection system that detects explosives, chemical weapons, poisonous chemicals, and narcotics using active infrared spectroscopy. Officials of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, announced $17.9 million contract to Leidos on Wednesday for the Standoff Illuminator for Measuring Absorbance and Reflectance Infrared Light Signatures (SILMARILS) project. The Air Force Research Lab is awarding the contract to Leidos on behalf of the U.S. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency (IARPA) in Washington. IARPA is the research arm of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.