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:
- Gardaí find weapons and explosives in follow-up search in Co Louth
March 1, 2019
Gardaí targeting dissident republicans have uncovered a significant cache of explosives and arms along the border, in what is the second linked operation since the start of February. The operation involved gardaí from the Louth Division and officers from specialist anti-terrorism and firearms units. A controlled explosion of some of the material discovered was conducted by an ...
- FBI Guam: Preparing for Threats Posed by Improvised Explosives and Potentially Dangerous Chemicals
February 28, 2019
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering specialized training to provide advanced understanding of the hazards posed by improvised explosives and potentially dangerous chemicals. The “Chemical Industry Outreach Workshop” is intended for both Guam and CNMI public safety officials, law enforcement partners, and people who work in the chemical industry. This includes suppliers of pool ...
- Vietnam eyes closer collaboration with U.S. in bomb, mine clearance
February 27, 2019
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said Tuesday that Vietnam and the United States should strengthen collaboration in bomb and mine clearance and in support for Agent Orange victims. Minh made the remarks during talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Hanoi. Minh expressed his delight at the development of bilateral ...
- Sri Lanka’s demining program commended at Geneva’s International Director’s Meeting
February 26, 2019
The 30-year-long civil conflict in Sri Lanka left many areas of the Northern and Eastern part of the country contaminated by anti-personnel mines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW). The International Meeting on Mine Action for National Directors and UN Advisors was held from 5 to 8 February in Geneva at the UN office. This ...
- EODMU 5 Partcipates in Cobra Gold 2019
February 22, 2019
Sailors from EODMU 5 participated in joint dive operations with Royal Thai Navy divers as part of Exercise Cobra Gold 2019 (CG19), Feb12-23. at Royal Thai Navy Base in Sattahip, Thailand. CG 19 is one of the largest theater security cooperation exercises in the Indo-Pacific and is an integral part of the U.S. commitment to strengthen ...
- Maharashtra on high alert after blast near Mumbai; IED found on bus in Raigad
February 21, 2019
The Maharashtra state police are on high alert after a low intensity blast took place on a busy road near Mumbai on Wednesday and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was found on a state transport bus in Raigad district later in the night. According to the state police, the blast took place on a busy road ...
- Army upgrades EOD units equipment
February 19, 2019
Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) units of the Philippine Army (PA) are constantly upgrading their equipment to improve their capability, an official said Tuesday. “Currently (the EOD units are) a fresh setup. Though the effort continues on aspect of upgrading its equipment,” said Lt. Col. Louie Villanueva, Army spokesperson, in a message to the Philippine News Agency ...
- Australia donates additional $1.5 million to de-mining efforts in Iraq
February 18, 2019
Australia recently donated an additional USD 1.5 million to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in contributions to demining efforts in Iraqi areas that were liberated from the Islamic State. Explosives the terrorist organization planted continue to be one of the greatest threats that impede the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes. The ...
- Major Killed While Trying to Defuse IED Near LoC in Nowshera Two Days After Pulwama Attack
February 17, 2019
A major-rank Army officer was killed in an IED blast near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu Kashmir’s Nowshera sector. The incident comes two days after the deadly Pulwama attack. According to news agency ANI, the major died while defusing an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which had been planted by terrorists. The IED was planted ...
- ‘Major disruption’ on Eurostar after WWII bomb discovery
February 16, 2019
Eurostar passengers are facing cancellations and major disruption all weekend due to an unexploded World War II bomb discovered in Paris. Bomb disposal experts are working to deactivate the device – but it will cause delays and cancellations for those travelling between London and the French capital. Five trains have been cancelled, one will be diverted and ...
- EOD Airmen detect, disarm, protect
February 13, 2019
The Joint Defense Operations Center calls about a confirmed or suspected explosive ordnance disposal incident. Three Airmen rush out the door, set up their truck and immediately depart for the incident site. They head out with a security element to safely transport them to the location. For them it is now an information game and ...
- Navy Experimental Diving Unit Provides Training to Montenegrin Navy
February 13, 2019
U.S. Navy Divers from the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) in Panama City, Florida recently traveled to Montenegro to provide two weeks of capacity building training to Montenegrin Navy Divers, EOD Technicians, Seals, and Medics. This collaboration was instrumental in enhancing the security cooperation between the United States and Montenegro. As DoD Underwater HMA Program Manager ...
- Philippine National Police receives anti-bomb gear from Japan
February 12, 2019
After back-to-back bombings in key areas in Mindanao, the Philippine National Police (PNP) received anti-bomb equipment from the government of Japan. The Japanese government on Tuesday, February 12, handed over 6 bomb suits, 6 ballistic shields, 440 bulletproof vests, and 440 ballistic helmets to the PNP during a ceremony at Camp Crame. The turnover was led by ...
- ‘Highly explosive’ ordnance found on Medmerry Beach, West Sussex
February 8, 2019
A warning has been given by the Selsey Coastguard after bomb experts carried out a third controlled explosion on Medmerry Beach in the space of three weeks. Selsey Coastguard said rescue teams were tasked to locate and assess reports of possible ordnance in the mud on Medmerry Beach last night (Thursday). A spokesman added: “We managed ...
- Army explosives experts compete for top honors in Hawaii
February 7, 2019
Three two-man explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams competed for top honors in the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) level EOD Team of the Year competition, January 18-25 at various locations around the island of Oahu. training that’s gained in a decisive-action and competitive training environment,” said Staff Sgt. Xavier Steinhart, 74th Ordnance Company (EOD), 303rd Ordnance Battalion ...
- Mosul’s ‘3D contamination’ adds to challenges of deadly mine clearance work
February 7, 2019
Government-led military campaigns and conflict to retake Iraq’s cities from the extremists, also known as Da’esh, displaced more than 5.8 million people between 2014 and 2017. Many are still homeless or unable to return home because of what UNMAS calls “significant explosive hazard contamination” linked to airstrikes and improvised explosive devices left behind by ISIL and ...
- QinetiQ North America Awarded $90 Million IDIQ Contract to support sustainment of TALON® family of robotic systems
February 5, 2019
QinetiQ North America (QNA) today announced that it has been awarded a $90 Million IDIQ contract to support the overall sustainment actions of the Tactical Adaptable Light Ordnance Neutralization (TALON®) family of robotic systems for the US Army. QNA will be providing ongoing maintenance, upgrades and servicing of the Army’s existing, fielded fleet of TALON ...
- Gardaí and Army EOD respond to pipe bomb in Raheny
February 4, 2019
Gardaí and the Army Bomb Disposal Team have responded to an exploded pipe bomb in Raheny, Dublin 5. Part of Springdale Road was sealed off after gardaí were made aware of a suspect device. The Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team were tasked to deal with the device at around 6.15pm. On arrival, they conducted a post-blast analysis of the ...
- The Air Force is offering a huge bonus to their ‘bomb squad’
February 1, 2019
The Air Force has been granted an exception to policy enabling it to offer Selective Retention Bonuses to a wider population of Explosive Ordnance Disposal senior noncommissioned officers, if they agree to continue serving in EOD for a minimum of three years. The Air Force is offering this SRB instead of a Critical Skills Retention Bonus ...
- There’s only one way to tackle Ukraine’s infestation of mines … slowly
January 31, 2019
“I am not afraid,” says 80 year-old Lidiya Korolyova as she walks across a snow-covered field to check on a suspicious object. It might be a landmine, lying in wait among the trees not far from her village of Ozerne in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. When she first noticed it in 2014, she ...
- UNMAS demolishes its one millionth explosive item in South Sudan – a 100kg bomb
January 30, 2019
A newly-cleared mine field was turned into an arena for a big bang today, as the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) demolished a 100kg air-dropped bomb in South Sudan, marking its one millionth destruction of explosive items in the world’s youngest nation. “Today, UNMAS, the National Mine Action Authority, and the mine action operators in ...

