US Transports Special Irradiator Device from Panama to Combat New World Screwworm
A specialized irradiator device developed to combat the New World screwworm, which threatens agriculture and livestock, was delivered to the United States from Panama via a US Air Force transport aircraft.
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in collaboration with Panamanian partners and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), shipped a Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) irradiator to the US to be used against the New World screwworm pest.
Production of the Device and Logistics Process
The specialized equipment was originally manufactured by Foss Therapy Services, Incorporated for the International Atomic Energy Agency's pest control efforts in Paraguay. However, due to urgent need, the device was diverted to the US.
DARPA was granted access to the device on July 8, 2026. Panamanian partners supported the challenging logistical process of transporting the heavy equipment from the port to Panama Pacifico International Airport, and the device arrived at the airport on July 23.
Air Transport and Extent of the Threat
The irradiator device was transported to the United States on August 23, 2026, aboard a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.
The New World screwworm is known as a destructive parasite whose larvae feed on the flesh of warm-blooded animals, posing a major threat to the livestock industry.