The job of ordnance disposal technicians is rapidly changing. After decades of handling prevasive ground-level threats of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan and Iraq, disposal techs are reinventing their jobs for a new threat: drones with explosives. As they adjust, they are adding drones to their own arsenals for dealing with explosives.
Over the last two decades, Army ordnance disposal technicians were tasked with rendering more than 100,000 improvised explosive devices “safe” in Iraq and Afghanistan. But as the face of warfare changes, the threat of one-way attack unmanned aerial systems and drones strapped with munitions and explosives are becoming a topic that ordnance disposal technicians are being increasingly trained on.
Read more…
Source: Task & Purpose
Related:
- How The UK Is Saving African Lives By Teaching Safe Bomb Disposal
March 18, 2020
The Counter IED Wing, part of the Humanitarian Peace Support School in Nairobi, Kenya, has trained 1,600 students from 15 African nations in just over three years. The teaching is led by former leading British Army bomb disposal expert Tony Dedman. He joined the Army when he was 15 and served for 22 years – carrying out ...
- Mine action in Ukraine – March 2019
March 18, 2020
Ukraine is one of the most severely mine and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) affected places in the world, with the most recorded anti-vehicle mine incidents for three years in a row and the third globally for overall casualties, behind only Afghanistan and Syria. It is estimated by national authorities that about 7,000 sq. km. in ...
- Children and Dogs Work Together to Free the World of Landmines
March 17, 2020
Bianca of Kingston, N. H., is one of those ordinary sixth-graders who loves her dog; in her case, a Bouvier des Flandres named Bear. “He looks like a teddy bear, ” she says. But this 11-year-old girl’s love for her dog—and other dogs and, well, people and the world—motivates her to do some extraordinary things. Bianca ...
- Army Bomb Experts In Northern Ireland Receive New Robot
March 15, 2020
Army bomb disposal experts in Northern Ireland have received a new state-of-the-art robot. The latest (RCV) apparently allows the operator to “feel” the suspicious object as they investigate, and is also fitted with high-definition camera equipment. It is set to become the main RCV for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search (EOD&S) Regiment units across the UK. The ...
- Exploding barriers – One woman’s journey in male-dominated career field
March 14, 2020
Improvised explosive devices (IED) are one of the leading causes of casualties for the U.S. military since the earliest days of the war on terror. Soldiers in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) are tasked with handling and safely disposing of unexploded ordnance, IEDs included. The male-dominated military occupational specialty (MOS) has a long and rigorous school to ...
- 71st EOD demonstrates counter IED skills
March 9, 2020
Soldiers with 71st Ordnance Group (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), hosted electronic countermeasure training Feb. 19-20 for 38 EOD, intelligence and electronic warfare Soldiers from nine installations across the U.S. The training provided service members of multiple military branches with hands-on experience with electronic countermeasure equipment used to deter threats in a combat environment. “They actually got to see ...
- Meet the female squad who clear out Vietnam’s unexploded bombs
March 6, 2020
Known as the “landmine girls” the group detonates left behind bombs from the war with the United States that ended in 1975 Two petite women in protective gear walk slowly down an empty field in Vietnam, carrying a large metal detector that clicks and whirrs, searching for unexploded ordnance. Medic and safety officer Nguyen Thi Ha Lan ...
- Suspected pipe bomb found by shocked locals outside Cork property
March 6, 2020
A suspected pipe bomb was found by shocked locals outside a property in Cork. Gardai and a specialist Defence Forces Explosives & Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team were alerted after a suspect package was discovered outside a house in Knocknaheeny shortly after lunchtime. The area was cordoned off and an EOD team from Collins Barracks is currently dealing ...
- UK: Bomb squad called and two held after suspicious device found in car in Luton
March 6, 2020
Two men have been arrested after a suspicious device was found in a car in Luton, Bedfordshire. Bomb disposal experts were sent to the scene and the device was later deemed to be not viable. Police were called to the incident at about 7.20am on Friday over concern for a man in a car. A bomb disposal team ...
- Army EOD Soldiers train with civilian counterparts at Raven’s Challenge
March 6, 2020
U.S. Army explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians from the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command trained with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies at Raven’s Challenge March 2-6 at Camp Blanding, Florida. Raven’s Challenge brings the world’s leading EOD experts together to train with military units and public safety bomb squads in realistic ...
- BP Angola commits $6.1 million of funding for landmine clearing charity HALO Trust
March 4, 2020
BP Angola today announced it has increased its financial grant to $6.1 million over four years to support the work in Angola of British landmine clearance charity the HALO Trust. An additional $4.9million of funding has been agreed to bolster the $1.2million grant announced in May 2019 as the pair widen their ambitions for the region. The ...
- Laos clearing more landmines, bombs
March 3, 2020
Laos has set a target of clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) on an area stretching 10,000ha this year. This was revealed by the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) following its annual meeting to outline its work plan this year, according to The Laotian Times. Labour and Social Welfare Minister Khampheng Saysompheng and the NRA board chairman Chomyaeng ...
- Why job of clearing Cambodia’s landmines is giving locals the chance to improve their lives
February 27, 2020
Six years ago, Soy Kossal stepped on a landmine as he walked along a well-trodden path to his fields in Battambang province in northwestern Cambodia. The force blew off his right leg, leaving the 28-year-old part-time carpenter a cripple, with no immediate hope of being able to support his wife and family. His tale is all ...
- Laos to clear wartime unexploded ordnance from 10,000 hectares of land in 2020
February 26, 2020
Lao National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for the UXO/Mine Action Sector has set a target on Tuesday to clear and destroy unexploded ordnance (UXO) on 10,000 hectares of land in 2020. The target was reported at the annual meeting of the NRA to summarise the work plan for 2020. The meeting was attended by Lao Minister of Labor ...
- Controlled explosion carried out by the EOD in Nottingham
February 24, 2020
Nottinghamshire Police has allowed residents of Manvers Court back to their homes following a report of a suspicious package. Officers were called just after 10.20 am today (24 February) to Manvers Court in Manvers Street, Nottingham. A cordon was put in place and residents were evacuated as a precaution. The army’s bomb disposal unit was called to the ...
- Indiana: Man arrested after officers find ‘several explosive devices’ in home, police say
February 22, 2020
A man is in jail on a $30,000 cash bond after officers say they found several explosive devices at his home during an investigation. The Rockport Police Department says they received a tip about drug activity at the residence on Friday. They say officers went to the home to investigate and received written consent to search. During ...
- Cambodia: 2,000 troops to help in demining
February 21, 2020
A total of 2,000 members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) will be deployed as part of humanitarian demining efforts throughout a five-year period until 2025. According to the Phnom Penh Post, Prime Minister Hun Sen had authorised the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) 2020-2025 for access to funds to be used ...
- Having a blast: Barrie the rescue dog saved from Syrian rubble by British EOD expert is among the frontrunners for Crufts
February 19, 2020
A dog who was pulled from rubble in a Syrian war-zone as a terrified puppy by a bomb disposal expert has been announced as a finalist for Crufts. Former Royal Engineer Sean Laidlaw was working as a bomb disposal expert in Syria when he heard whimpering from the wreckage of a school that had exploded and ...
- Nigeria: invitation to tender for purchase of 30 IED detectors
February 18, 2020
UK Army, currently based in Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria wishes to purchase IED detectors to enable clearance of IEDs that target civilians and military personnel indiscriminately. Clearance of IEDs enable compounds to be repopulated by civilians and clearance of roads enables their safe use by military, civilian and NGO. Read more… Source: GOV.UK
- I-Team: Exclusive Look At SWAT Team Training On Hidden Explosives, Booby Traps
February 18, 2020
Massachusetts State Police says it is all too aware of the danger of homemade explosives and booby traps. The ongoing concern about hidden lethal devices prompted the FBI, Boston and State Police to offer awareness training recently for regional SWAT teams. Trooper Michael Szawlowski with the MSP bomb squad told the I-Team that the SWAT teams ...
- A One Man Army: Navy Chief receives Silver Star for heroics against ISIS
February 17, 2020
A Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operator received the Silver Star for his actions in Iraq against Islamic State (ISIS) fighters. In April 2019, Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician Matthew J. O’Connor was attached to a Navy SEAL platoon as part of a Special Operations Task Force in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. On the day of ...
- IED recovered, 3 arrested in Imphal
February 17, 2020
Manipur police on Monday recovered a claymore IED allegedly RPF/PLA was planning to trigger at a place in Imphal with the arrest of three overground workers including a woman of the armed outfit. Other items recovered along with IED were one remote control, one transmitter, two 9 volt batteries, eight 1.5 volt batteries connecting in series, ...