Officials with the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility in Manhattan are continuing to work through the process of standing up the scientific research arm of the facility.

NBAF Deputy Director Ken Burton says behind the scenes, crews are working through ongoing integrated system functional performance testing. Once completed, Burton says another milestone will be realized, as the facility will enter the endurance period.

      1007-Burton 1

Dr. Burton says the endurance period is a contractual requirement for the construction team. 

      1007-Burton 2

Burton says the first half of that period will be primarily focused on facilities, but adds that some creative tactics are being implemented to ensure no time is lost for other departments housed in the facility.

      1007-Burton 3

NBAF is targeting to have commissioning completed by the end of the year.

NBAF officials appear on KMAN’s In Focus on the first Thursday of each month. This month, NBAF’s featured guest was Dr. Lisa Hensley, NBAF’s Zoonotic and Emerging Disease Research Unit Leader. Listen to the podcast of that interview on the News Radio KMAN Soundcloud page or wherever you get your podcasts.

KMAN’s In Focus is a public affairs program that airs weekdays at 9:06 a.m. on News Radio KMAN.