Operational Evaluation Test of Mine Neutralization Systems
Abstract
During the Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program's Fiscal Year 2003 Humanitarian Demining Requirements Workshop, expert deminers expressed a need for a cost-benefit and performance analysis for currently available deflagration (burning) and high-order (non-explosive binary mixture) mine neutralization systems that carry fewer shipping restrictions when compared to tradition explosives commonly used for mine neutralization. In response to this request, the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Acquisition Center-Washington, D.C., published a Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) announcement on January 21, 2004 on behalf of the Communications- Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC), Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), Countermine Division, Humanitarian Demining Branch, stating that the government was seeking sources for non-developmental high-order or low-order mine neutralization systems suitable for use in humanitarian demining operations. U.S. and foreign companies responded to this FBO announcement. Of the systems submitted for consideration, six deflagration systems including seven different devices and seven high-order systems including eleven different devices were selected for further evaluation. All mine neutralization systems evaluated in this report were successful in their ability to neutralize antipersonnel and antitank mines. When the systems are used properly, they are an effective, cost efficient alternative to traditional 1.1D explosives such as C-4 or TNT when neutralizing surface laid or surface buried landmines. However, all presented limitations in target set applicability, transportation restrictions, or cost. Given the right target set, any one of the systems evaluated during this test could do the job and be used with confidence by humanitarian deminers, military, and explosive ordnance disposal personnel.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA478131
Entities
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses