NCITE Publishes New Research on Combating Terrorist Use of Explosives

The terrorist threat in the U.S. has many faces: anti-government extremists, violent white supremacists, homegrown jihadists, and a long list of others. To respond, national security researchers and practitioners need a thorough and current understanding of one weapon that unites Read More …

It’s Time to Learn How to Blow Things Up Again

Western governments’ rapidly growing defense spending sounds like a straightforward equation: More spending equals more weapons. But skilled weapons workers are in short supply, especially explosives experts, and without a sufficiently big bang behind them, even the most sophisticated weaponry Read More …

Uganda: UPDF graduates 255 combat engineers, explosive experts

The Joint Staff Chief Engineering, Brig Gen Cyrus Besigye Bekunda, has implored combat engineers and explosive experts to maintain discipline and continually upgrade their skills to reach the pinnacle of their army careers. “Discipline and Willingness to Upgrade will give Read More …

In-situ comparison of high-order detonations and low-order deflagration methodologies for underwater UXO disposal

The unexploded ordnance (UXO) on the seabed off Northwest Europe poses a hazard to offshore developments such as windfarms. The traditional removal method is through high-order detonation of a donor explosive charge placed adjacent to the UXO, which poses a Read More …

NIJ: Advances in Detecting and Identifying Explosives After an Attack

The investigation following an explosion or bombing plays a vital role in uncovering the truth about the incident. Criminal justice practitioners often need to build cases and attribute involvement in a crime by locating and using trace amounts of evidence Read More …

NATO supports Ukrainian development of remote mine detection systems

The NATO program “Science for Peace and Security” will support the MinesEye project to create effective systems for remote detection of mines and unexploded ordnance. Ukrainian developers from the charitable foundation “Progress Foundation” initiated the idea and basic development of Read More …

Rhode Island: National security, bombings among topics of URI’s Spring Forensic Seminar Partnership Series

The University of Rhode Island’s Forensic Science Partnership lecture series is back for the spring semester. All lectures are held on Fridays at 3:30 p.m. in the Richard E. Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences. For 25 years, the Read More …

India: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launches National IED Data Management system

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today performed ground breaking and dedicated Rs. 481.32 crore worth development works at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU). He launched four new projects at RRU. The Chief Minister dedicated Atal Incubation Centre at RRU for innovation Read More …

Forensic analytical aspects of homemade explosives containing grocery powders and hydrogen peroxide

Homemade explosives become a significant challenge for forensic scientists and investigators. In addition to well-known materials such as acetone peroxide trimer, black powder, or lead azides, perpetrators often produce more exotic and less recognized Homemade Explosives (HMEs). Mixtures of hydrogen Read More …

U.S. Army EOD techs leverage expertise at Johns Hopkins University cluster munitions forum

WASHINGTON – U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians participated in a forum conducted by one of the nation’s premier engineering schools to learn better ways to confront and defeat cluster munitions during large-scale combat operations. Army EOD technicians attended the Read More …

U.S. Army Explosives Forensics Stakeholders Meet to Collaborate on Future Defense Capabilities

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD – The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) recently hosted the first Stakeholder Engagement Day for the Army Explosives Forensics program. This program aims to develop and augment sensor technologies for Read More …

Enhanced detonators detection in X-ray baggage inspection by image manipulation and deep convolutional neural networks

The detection of dangerous objects in X-ray images of baggage has become important, particularly due to rising crime rates. The performance of screening devices is strongly influenced by the target visibility, image display technology, and the security officers’ knowledge. However, Read More …

Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company supports new bomb suit helmet program

FORT BELVOIR, Va. – U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians are helping the Army improve state-of-the-art combat helmets to better protect them on high-stakes missions. EOD technicians from the 55th Ordnance Company (EOD) are working with Program Executive Office Soldier Read More …

Ukraine is now the most mined country. It will take decades to make safe

In a year and a half of conflict, land mines — along with unexploded bombs, artillery shells and other deadly byproducts of war — have contaminated a swath of Ukraine roughly the size of Florida or Uruguay. It has become Read More …

Rapid and selective screening of organic peroxide explosives using acid-hydrolysis induced chemiluminescence

Organic peroxide explosives (OPEs) are unstable, non-military, contemporary security threats often found in improvised explosive devices. Chemiluminescence (CL) can be used to detect OPEs, via radical formation consisting of peroxide moieties (-O-O-) under acidic conditions. However, selectivity for specific OPEs Read More …

India: State university develops IED detectors

Chhattisgarh’s Ravishankar Shukla University has developed sensor system by isolating bacteria that react against DNT — used to produce explosives. This technique will be helpful to detect landmines buried under the ground. These sensors can be dropped in suspected areas Read More …

DEVCOM CBC Team Supports Data Collection Event in Alaska

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD – The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) participated in an Army-sponsored data collection event at the Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC) in Fort Greely, Alaska as part of its work Read More …

Australia: CATJAT jammer designed to protect soldiers against IEDs

Imagine a squad of soldiers on foot patrol, somewhere hostile. As they pass by the wreck of an old car, or traverse a culvert under the road, or get spotted by a drone, there is a flash, a bang, and Read More …

The deadly legacy of landmines

More than two decades since the adoption of the landmark Mine Ban Treaty and the creation of the UN Mine Action Service, millions of landmines have been destroyed, but land in nearly 70 countries globally is still contaminated and innocent Read More …