Bushey-based Smiths Detection is to receive £1.3 million from the United States Government to further fund its development of explosive detection products.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the deal was a "vote of confidence" in the work done by Smiths Detection, which already supplies more than 100,000 troops with wearable chemical detection technology in the UK, US and around the world.

The research and development company, with headquarters in Park Avenue, got a slice of more than £1.1 billion worth of trade and investment deals between US and UK companies announced yesterday (Thur).

Richard Bayliss, Smiths Detection head of corporate communications, said: "Our product, the lightweight chemical detector, was selected by the American department of defence many years ago as their main piece of equipment for that job. This additional money will help us improve the product further and take it to another level."

Welcoming the funding, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "The chemical detection technology developed by Smiths Detection is already used by over 100,000 troops in armed forces from around the world including the UK and Australia and this investment by the US government is a further vote of confidence in their world-leading wearable devices."

Cameron was due to meet with US President Barack Obama at the White House this morning (Fri) for talks on national security, particularly tackling the threat of violent extremism including the response to the terror attacks in Paris last week.