Military

Improvised Explosive Device (IED)

            An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) can be defined as a bomb made up in an improvised manner integrating combustible chemicals and designed to obliterate or debilitate personnel. An IED consists of an explosive charge, a detonator and an instigation system, which prompts the electrical charge that sets off the appliance. IEDs are activated in several ways including the use of a remote control, infrared, pressure sensitive bars or trip wires. The dangers that are posed by buried IED explosions is the integration of life threatening components other than the normal blasts and fire that are associated with bombs. It is therefore necessary for individuals to take precautions in countering the buried IED attacks before they can cause more deaths and damages to human health.

Military forces and law enforcement workforce from all over the world have come up with a number of Render Safe Procedures (RSP) in dealing with buried IEDs. RSPs may be established because of unswerving experiences with the appliances or by practical research to counter the threat. The effectiveness of remote jamming systems has caused IED technology to degenerate to command-wire detonation techniques (Committee on Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices, 2008). These are physical connections between the detonator and explosive devices and which cannot be jammed. Military forces from Canada, United Kingdom, Israel, Spain and United States have made pioneering efforts in the counter-IED sector. This is because they have a direct experience in handling buried IEDs used against them in divergences and terrorist attacks. Technological dealings are a part of the solution in the effort to prevail over buried IEDs. Other measures that have been undertaken include experience, training and creating awareness in skirmishing IEDs. For instance, military officers can use visual signs in the detection of IEDs that are buried under soil.

The Department of Defense in the United States came up with a method in which they could counter the IEDs that were used by Iraq in their attacks. Technologies that were used are such as electronic jammers and pre-detonators, radars, X-ray apparatus, robotic explosives and artillery disposal equipments (Cordesman et al., 2008). Some of the counter IED technologies include stochiometric investigative mechanism that decodes chemical signatures of unidentified materials through metal or other barricades. The codes are later matched against a database that helps the analysts identify the exact material inside the suspected object, which is buried under the soil. It is therefore the duty of the military officers to get the correct electronic jammers that can be used in the deactivation of the buried Improvised Electronic Device.

Equipment that is commonly utilized in electronic jamming purposes includes the IED Counter Measures kit and the War Clock. This last devise is of particular interest as it uses a medium power radio frequency to block any inbound signal especially where the detonator is remotely operated. In other cases, equipment such as the Joint IED Neutralizer can be utilized for the same purpose especially when aided by a Neutralizing Improvised Explosive Device (Committee on Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices, 2008). This devise also jams any inbound signals especially where satellite technology is in use. A good example of this is the system known as PING that was created for the Iraqi environment. The devise can fit inside a standard government issue Humvee and is therefore very important when dealing with the detection of IEDs buried under soil. A similar device is the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy that is used for long-range detection of explosives (Cordesman et al., 2008).

Other counter-IED research involves combining large amounts of acumen and surveillance data that scrutinizes the place and time when the bombs were entrenched. Data about IEDs is controlled by The Department of Defense to avoid giving feedback to the bomb makers on the effectiveness of IED designs that are used as in the detection and de-activation of the buried IED apparatus. The proprietary freedoms must be guarded for the organizations, which produce IED counter measures. The security of IED counter procedures can avert other organizations from coming into contact with information about the effectiveness of anti-IED systems, as they are analyzed or utilized in scuffles. It is therefore necessary to relax some of the controls so that industry officials can come up with effective strategies in countering IED attacks.

The Counter Explosive Hazard Center is an institution that conducts explosive hazard awareness training on Explosive Hazard counter measures. In addition, the Hazard Center conducts new equipment training for commercial equipments and assists in identification and researching on viable counter-measure solutions. The individuals from such training centers are taught on different ways on detection and identification IEDs that may be buried under soils. They are also trained on methods in which they can develop their own equipments that are used in deactivating bombs (Committee on Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices, 2007). Because of such preparations, these people are able to deal with buried IEDs by identifying their presence and finding a way in which they can stop them from exploding.

In conclusion, buried IEDs are harmful objects that are life threatening. This is because they may contain harmful components that may not only cause harm to individuals through the normal blast, but they can also affect individual’s health status. It is quite important for military officers to come up with buried IED counter measures. This will save human lives by protecting them from terrorist attacks, which may cause deaths and incurable diseases.

Works Cited

Committee on Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices. Countering the Threat of Improvised Explosive Devices: Basic Research Opportunities, Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2007. Print.

Committee on Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices. Basic Research to Interrupt the IED Delivery Chain, Disrupting Improvised Explosive Device Terror Campaigns: Basic Research Opportunities: A Workshop Report. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2008. Print.

Cordesman, Anthony, Davies, Emma & Center for Strategic and International Studies. Iraq‘s Insurgency and the Road to Civil Conflict. Washington, D.C: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008. Print.