FOREWORD
ByRobHyde-Bales,ConsultingEditor,Counter-IEDReport
2025witnessedtwosignifcantSecondWorld Waranniversaries–frstly8May2025which commemoratedthe80thanniversaryoftheendofthe warinEurope,andthen15August2025which commemoratedthe80thanniversaryoftheendofthe waragainstJapanandthustheendoftheSecond WorldWar.Itisthereforebothpoignantandtragicthat 80yearslater,andafterallthesacrifcesandhuman costsofthatwar,themostsavagewarsincethe SecondWorldWarhasnowragedinUkrainefor elevenyears.
In2025,60millionpeopleinsome70countriesare affectedbylandminesandimprovisedexplosive devices(IEDs).Amongthecountriesmostseriously affectedareAfghanistan,Angola,Cambodia,Iraq, Libya,SyriaandUkraine.TheuseofIEDsincreases annuallybecausetheseweaponsareinexpensiveand easytoproduce,andhavesignifcantpropaganda valueforterrorists,insurgents,andcriminals.Porous bordersinregionswithactiveterrorgroups,suchas BokoHaraminNigeria,al-ShabaabinSomalia,and ISISinSyria,facilitatetheinternationalsmugglingand transferofarmsandexplosives.Theconvergenceof criminalandterroristorganisationsfurtherexacerbates thisissue,asthesegroupscollaboratetoachieve mutualinterestsandgainaccesstoweaponryand explosives.Thefnancialcapacityofterroristgroups, oftensustainedthroughextortion,illicitdrugstraffcking andsmugglingactivities,enablesthemtoprocurethe necessaryresourcestomanufactureanddeployIEDs. Statesponsorshipofterrorism,aswellasproxywars,
inwhichnon-stateactorsreceiveweaponsand fnancialsupportfromvariousstates,remaina signifcantfactor.
TheuseofIEDsisprojectedtocontinuerisingin 2025andbeyonddrivenbyasymmetricwarfareand geopoliticaltensions.Thefactisthatafteraconfict andthegunsstopfring,itisthenthatlandmineand IEDclearancemustbegininearnest–fundingwilling.
REGIONALSECURITYDYNAMICS
Israel–Hamasconfict
Aftertwoyearsofdevastatingconfictthatreshapedthe MiddleEast,IsraelandHamasagreedinearlyOctober 2025tothefrstphaseofaU.S.-brokeredpeaceplan. AnnouncedbyU.S.PresidentDonaldTrump,the agreementmarkedthemostsignifcantdiplomatic breakthroughsincethewarbegan.Theceasefredeal promisedanimmediatehalttofghting,thereleaseof allremainingIsraelihostagesheldinGaza,thefreeing ofnearly2,000Palestinianprisoners,anda desperatelyneededsurgeofhumanitarianaidintoa territoryravagedbyfamine.OnOctober13,2025,as partofthedeal,Hamasreleasedall20livinghostages heldinGazawhoarrivedbackinIsrael,wheretheywill reunitewiththeirfamiliesandundergomedicalchecks. Thebodiesoftheremaining28deadhostagesarealso expectedtobehandedoveraspartofthedeal, althoughtheexacttimingremainedunclear.TheIsraeli cabinetratifedthedealonOctober10,2025.It representedapivotalmoment,bornfromimmense internationalpressure,regionalmediation,anda
fundamentalshiftinthestrategiccalculationsof both IsraelandHamas.However,italsoleftthemost intractableissues–thedisarmamentofHamasandthe futuregovernanceofGaza–foralater,moreuncertain phase.1 Inadditiontotheheavydeathtoll,theconfict leavesbehindalegacyofdestructionandExplosive OrdnancecontaminationoftheGazaStripwhichwill requiresignifcanteffortandinvestmenttoclearthe landofvarioustypesofammunitionandexplosives, andrestorationofhousing,medicalfacilitiesandother criticalservicesandinfrastructure.
EUROPE
Russia-Ukraineconfict
Despiteongoinginternationalpeaceeffortsandhighleveltalks,thefull-scalemilitaryoperationscontinue, includingmutualdroneandmissilestrikesdeepinside UkrainianandRussianterritory.Bothsidesuse landmines,IEDs,andconventionalexplosive weapons,includingclustermunitionswhich exacerbatelandmine/ERWcontaminationinthe EasternUkraineandbeyond.SinceFebruary2022, morethan12,300civilianswerekilled,includingover 650children,andinjuredmorethan27,800.Over sevenhundredmedicalfacilitiesand1,500schools andcollegeshavealsobeendamagedordestroyed.2
AnumberofIEDattackshavebeenreportedin UkraineandRussia,aswellassuccessfullaw enforcementoperationsagainstattemptsto manufactureanduseImprovisedIncendiaryDevices (IIDs)andIEDs.UkraineandRussiablameeach other’s‘specialservices’forrecruitingwould-be attackersviasocialmediaplatforms,promising monetaryrewardsorusingmanipulation/social engineeringtotargetvulnerableindividuals.InMay
2025,severalexplosionstargetedRussianrailway infrastructure,notablyresultinginthecollapseoftwo bridgesinBryanskandKurskregions,causingmultiple casualtiesandinjuries.InSeptember2025,inOryol regionexplosivedeviceswerefoundonrailwaytracks, resultinginthedeathsofthreeRussianNationalGuard offcersandinjuriestoanother.3,4,5
On1stJune2025acovertdroneattackconducted byUkrainetargetedfveRussianmilitaryairbases deepinsideRussianterritory.Theoperationinvolved 117explosives-ladendroneswhichwereallegedly smuggledintoRussiaandlaunchedfromaclose proximitytothemilitaryairfeldsusinginnocuously lookingcivilianvehicles.Theattackreportedly destroyedordamaged10to20warplanes.6,7 The attackbearsaclosesimilaritytotheIsraelicrippling attackonIran'sairdefencesitesanddefenceindustry assetswhereone-wayattack(OWA)droneswere assembledanddeployedfromwithinIranianterritory, andwhichwasthepartoftheSuppressionofEnemy AirDefences(SEAD)campaignpriortotheIsraeli aerialstrikesonIran'sleadership,militaryinstallations andcriticalinfrastructureinJune2025.8
ASIA
Cambodia–Thailandconfict
Landmineexplosionshavebeenasignifcantissuein theongoingconfictbetweenCambodiaandThailand, andoneofthefactorswhichledtoaseriesofviolent borderclashesinJuly2025.Bothcountrieshave accusedeachotherofplantinglandmines,leadingto injuriesamongsoldiers.Thaiauthoritiesallegedthatthe explosionswerecausedbynewlylaidRussian-made PMN-2anti-personnellandmines,blamingCambodia fortheseriesofincidents.Cambodiarejected
1 https://govfacts.org/explainer/israel-hamas-ceasefre-deal-october-2025-agreement-explained/
2 https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/01/ukraine-deputy-high-commissioner-decries-dangerous-escalation-and
3 https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-train-bryansk-klimov-derailment/33430473.html
4 https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/06/05/explosion-partially-halts-railway-traffc-in-voronezh-region-a89350
5 https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2025/09/14/ukrainian-intelligence-claims-responsibility-for-railway-explosion-that-killed-3-inrussias-oryol-region-en-news
6 https://european-security.com/operation-spider-web/
7 https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/06/why-u-s-should-be-worried-about-ukrainian-attack-on-russian-warplanes/
8 https://www.twz.com/air/israel-hid-drones-missiles-around-iran-to-target-nuclear-facilities-and-more-report
Thailand’saccountas‘baselessaccusations’,pointing outthatmanyunexplodedminesandotherordnance arealegacyof20thcenturywarsandunrest.9,10
Pakistan
AccordingtotheCenterforResearch andSecurityStudies(CRSS),Pakistan witnessedanover46%surgeinoverall violenceinitssecuritylandscapefor thethirdquarterof2025,withatleast 901fatalitiesand599injuries–among civilians,securitypersonnel,and outlaws–resultingfrom329incidents ofviolence,includingterrorattacksand counter-terroroperations.Injustthree quarters,2025hasprovennearlyas deadlyasallof2024,with2414 fatalitiesrecordedcomparedtothe entiretallyof2024(2546),which,with anentirequarterremaining,indicates that:a)2025isoncoursetosurpass lastyear’stoll;andb)intensifcationof militantviolenceandtheexpanded scaleofcounter-terrorismoperations. Ifthecurrenttrendcontinues,2025 couldmarkoneofthedeadliestyears inadecade.11
India
InOctober2025,adetailedanalysisby theNationalSecurityGuard(NSG)has revealedasignifcantshiftinthetactics usedbyextremistgroupsacrossIndia, withasharpincreaseintheuseof victim-operatedIEDsduring2024.The fndings,partoftheNSG’sannual comprehensivereportonblasts andexplosivemechanisms,highlight changingattackpatternsthatpresent growingoperationalchallengesfor
securityforces.AccordingtotheNSGreport,47per centofallIEDincidentsin2024(49outof104) involvedunknownmechanisms,while41percent(43 outof104)werevictimoperated.Only11percentwere command-operated,andonepercentinvolveddelay mechanisms.TheNSGnotedthatthisrefectsamarked
Up and running in less than 90 seconds
Lightweight (less than 6.5 kg/14 lbs) → Wireless or cable driven → High quality imaging → Radiation shielding → Telescopic arm (up to 65 cm/26 in)
9 https://www.nationthailand.com/news/asean/40053474
10 https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40052828
11 https://crss.pk/three-quarters-of-2025-nearly-as-violent-as-entire-2024/
tacticalshiftbyadversariestowarddevicestriggeredby victimsthemselves,allowingattackerstoremaindistant fromthesceneandreducingtheriskofexposure.12
Afghanistan
TheTaliban,whichisdefactoauthorityinAfghanistan continuedtomaintainapermissiveenvironmentfora rangeofterroristgroups,includingAl-Qaidaandits affliates,posingaseriousthreattothesecurityof CentralAsianandothercountries.ISIL-Kcontinuedto representthemostseriousthreat,bothregionallyand internationally.Withabout2,000fghters,ISIL-K continuedtorecruitbothinsideandoutside Afghanistan,includingamongCentralAsianStatesand theRussianNorthCaucasus,aswellasdisaffected fghtersfromothergroups.InNorthAfghanistanand areasclosetothePakistaniborders,ISIL-K indoctrinatedchildreninmadrassas,establishinga suicidetrainingcourseforminorsagedapproximately 14yearsold.ISIL-Kcontinuedtoprioritizeattackson Shiacommunities,theTalibanandforeigners.The groupistryingtoestablishoperationsinthecountries neighbouringAfghanistanandglobally.13
MIDDLEEAST
Post-AssadSyria
SincefalloftheAl-AssadregimeinSyriain December2024,over10,000peoplehavebeenkilled ofwhichmorethan3,000peopleextrajudicially executed.14 TheissueofSyria’sdiversepopulationhas becomeincreasinglyimportantfollowingasurgein sectarianclashesinrecentmonthsthatlefthundreds ofciviliansfromSyria’sAlawiteandDruzecommunities dead,manyreportedlyatthehandsoffghtersaligned withpro-governmentforces.15 InMarch,morethan
1,400AlawiteslosttheirlivesontheSyriancoast,and inJulythemassacresresultedinover1,600deaths, including20membersofthemedicalstaffatthe Al-SuwaydaaNationalHospitalamongmorethan700 residentsinSweidaprovince,accordingtotheSyrian ObservatoryforHumanRights 16
AFRICA
Theextremistgroupsandaffliatescontinuetoposea seriousthreatacrosstheAfricancontinentinconfict zones,neighbouringcountriesandfartherafeld. AccordingtoarecentUNreportissuedinJuly2025, thethreatfromIslamicStateandal-Qaidaextremists andtheiraffliatesismostintenseinpartsofAfrica,and risksaregrowinginSyria,whichbothgroupsviewasa ‘astrategicbaseforexternaloperations.’WestAfrica’s al-Qaida-linkedJama’atNasral-Islamwal-Muslimin group,knownasJNIM,andEastAfrica’sal-Qaidalinkedal-Shabaabhavecontinuedtoincreasethe territoryundertheircontrol.Thetwogroups‘pivot towardspartsofAfricacontinued’partlybecauseof IslamicStatelossesintheMiddleEastduetocounterterrorismpressures.17 TheDa’eshaffliateintheSahel region‘isbecomingincreasinglyautonomous’and steppingupattacksinMali,BurkinaFasoandNiger.18 TheUNGeneralAssemblyhasurgedMemberStates topreventterroristsfromacquiringweaponsand expressedconcernovertheincreasinguseofIEDsin terroristactivities.TheUNOffceofCounter-Terrorism (UNOCT)reporteda12%annualincreaseinIEDuse bynon-stateactorsinAfricafrom2020to2024.To counterthis,UNOCTlaunchedthe"Supporting EasternAfricaincounteringterroristuseofimprovised explosivedevices"project,aimingtoenhancesecurity inKenya,Somalia,andUganda.19
12 https://www.news18.com/amp/india/victim-operated-ieds-on-the-rise-nsg-warns-of-shift-in-terror-tactics-exclusive-9636582.html
13 https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n25/176/00/pdf/n2517600.pdf
14 https://www.syriahr.com/en/369487/
15 https://www.reuters.com/world/how-reuters-counted-dead-march-killings-syrian-alawites-2025-06-30/
16 https://www.syriahr.com/en/367596/
17 https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n25/176/00/pdf/n2517600.pdf
18 https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1140077
19 https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/events/project-launch-supporting-eastern-africa-countering-terrorist-use-improvisedexplosive-devices
Nigeria
AccordingtoUNODC,in2024,Nigeriaexperienced 197attacksfromIEDs–anaverageofnearlyoneIED attackeverytwodays,withterroristgroups increasinglyrelyingonthemasaweaponofchoice. Alarmingly,theIEDs’useisincreasinginWestAfrica becausetheirmanufacturerequiresminimalresources andrelativelybasictechnicalknowledge.20 Inanotable development,BokoHaramfactionsareincreasingly usinganimalmanuretodisguiseIEDs,inparticular landmines,andboosttheirignition.Theselandmines aresimilartoconventionalanti-personnelminesin termsoftheirtacticaluseandactivationmode. Nigerianarmyseniorstafftoldresearchersfromthe InstituteforSecurityStudies(ISS)thatanimal excrementhadbeenusedtopreventthedetectionof IEDsinseveralpartsofnortheastNigeria,including Borno,AdamawaandYobestates.Compressed manurewasalsousedinsomeIEDsacrossthethree states.Thefreeandabundantavailabilityofit,together withitslackofcontrolandtraceability,makesita preferredIEDcomponentcomparedtomorecontrolled industrialchemicals.21
LATINAMERICA
TheillicitdrugtradeinLatinAmericaandthe Caribbean,primarilyinvolvingcocaineandcannabis,is fuelledbypoliticalinstabilityandcorruption.Drug cartelsareincreasinglyusingadvancedtechnologies likedronesforsurveillance,smuggling,andarmed attacks,refectingashifttowardsmilitarisedtactics.
Colombia
InJuly2025,Colombianauthoritiesseizedaremotecontrolled,unmannednarco-submarine,designedfor autonomousoperationsandequippedwithaStarlink antenna.Accordingtoareport,thevesselbelongsto
localGulfClan(ClandelGolfo)drugcartelandwas capableoftransporting1.5tonsofcocaine.The submarinewasfoundnearSantaMarta,onthe CaribbeanCoast,andcontainednodrugs.The ColombianNavybelievestraffckerswereconducting testsbeforeusingitforsmugglingoperations.22
Venezuela
InSeptember2025,theUSadministrationhas declaredaformal‘armedconfict’againstVenezuelan drugcartels,claimingtheyare‘unlawfularmed combatants.’SincethestartofSeptember,theUS militaryhaskilled27peopleonatleastfvevessels whichwereallegedlycarryingnarcotics.Themove marksadeparturefromtraditionallawenforcement methodsandcouldblurthelinesbetweenlaw enforcement,interdiction,andwar,raisinglegaland diplomaticquestions.23 Venezuela'sPresidentNicolás Madurohasdeniedallegationsofdrugtraffckingand accusedtheU.S.ofattemptingacoup,urgingfor peaceandcautionagainstfurtherescalation.24
Mexico
Theuseofdronesbycriminalgroupsisrapidly increasingandposesagrowingthreattoUSnational security.Mexicancartelsalreadyusedronesdailyto smuggledrugsandothercontrabandintotheUnited States.Oneofthegroups,theJaliscoNewGeneration Cartel(CJNG),evencreatedadedicateddroneunitwith thelapelinsignia"OperadoresDroneros."Footagehas beenpostedonsocialmediaclaimingtoshowMexican gangsfyingdronesandusingthemtolaunchexplosives.
InJuly2025,Mexicanintelligenceoffcialstippedoff theirUkrainiancounterpartsthatsomecarteloperatives fromMexicoandColombiaarenowinfltrating Ukraine'sforeignfghtergroupstostrengthentheir dronewarfarecapabilities.TheywarnedKyivthatcartel
20 https://www.unodc.org/conig/en/stories/global-counterterrorism-forum-west-africa-capacity-building-working-group-and-unodchold-regional-meeting-to-prevent-and-counter-the-use-of-ieds-by-terrorist-groups.html
21 https://issafrica.org/iss-today/nigeria-must-prevent-dung-being-used-for-ied-terror-attacks
22 https://colombiaone.com/2025/07/03/colombia-narco-submarine-remote-controlled-starlink-antenna
23 https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/armed-confict-trumps-venezuela-boat-strikes-test-us-law
24 https://press.un.org/en/2025/sc16190.doc.htm
memberswereinfltratingUkraine’sforeignfghterunits tolearnhowtofyfrst-personview(FPV)kamikaze drones.FPVshavealreadyprovedtobeagamechangerintheRussia-Ukraineconfict.Mexico’s warringdrugcartels,whoareengagedintheirown dronearmsrace,nowappeartobeadoptingthe technology.Whileit'sdiffculttodeterminehowmany cartelmemberstravelledtoUkrainefordrone‘training’, theinvestigationidentifedatleastthreeformer membersofthedisbandedColombianguerrilla movement,theRevolutionaryArmedForcesof Colombia(FARC),involvedincocainetraffcking.25
LANDMINES
InJune2025Ukraineannounceditswithdrawalfrom theAnti-PersonnelMineBanConvention.26 Themove wasmadeinresponsetotheongoingconfictwith Russia,whichisnotapartytothetreaty.Thedecision followstheexamplesofFinland,Poland,Estonia,Latvia andLithuania,whohaveannouncedearlierthatthey aretooptoutoftheOttawa1997Treaty,andnowhave planstocreatea2,000-milestretchofminedareasas partofadefensiveeffortagainstanypossibleattack fromRussia.27
InJune2025itwasreportedthatRussianforces operatingneartheborderwithUkrainehave encountered3D-printedanti-personnelminesdeployed byUkrainiantroopsinRussia’sKurskregion.28 These improvisedmines,describedassmall,lightweight,and disguisedtoblendintotheirsurroundings,marka signifcantevolutioninlow-cost,high-impactweaponry. The3D-printedminesrepresentaleapinthe democratisationofweaponsproductionwhichis discussedindepthinthiseditionbySubjectMatter ExpertsJoseMRufasandDavidHerraizintheirarticle titled ‘Tracking3D-printing:Applicationoftechnical exploitationoveradditivemanufacturing‘. Unlike
traditionalanti-personnelmines,whichoftenrelyon metalcomponentsandstandardizeddesigns,these devicesleverageadditivemanufacturingtocreate plasticcasingsthatreducedetectabilitybyconventional metaldetectors.Thetechnologyallowsforrapid, decentralizedproductionofexplosivedeviceswith minimalrelianceontraditionalmaterials,components, andsupplychains.Itremainstobeseenhowlongthe devicescouldremainoperational‘inthewild’and whetherthetechnologywillbewidelyadoptedbythe warringparties.
Whilelandminesmayseemlikeacost-effectiveway todeterorslowdownanoffensive,theconsequences oftheirlong-termusecanbedevastatingintermsof injuriesandfatalities,aswellastakinglargeareasof landoutofcommercialuseforthedecadesafterthe war.AccordingtoLandmineMonitor2024,overthepast 25years,landminesandexplosiveremnantsofwar (ERW)havekilledmorethan110,000people,withmore than5,700killedlastyearalone.Eightoutoftenof thosekilledwerecivilians,manyofwhomwerechildren. ThecostofmineclearanceandERWremovalin UkrainealoneisestimatedatUS$36billion.Thiscomes atthetimeofasharpincreaseinERWcontaminated landduetotheongoingarmedconfictsaroundthe worldanduncertaintywithuninterruptedfundingfor mine/ERWclearanceoperations.
Iraq
Iraq'shistoryofconficts – theIran-IraqWar (1980-1988),theGulfWar(1990-1991),the2003 invasion,andthewaragainstISIS – hasleftthecountry heavilycontaminatedwithexplosiveremnantsofwar. Accordingtothereports,anestimated2,100km2 ofland arestillcontaminatedwithclusterbombs,landmines, improvisedexplosivedevices,andtoxicremnantsof war.ThesheersizeofthethreattoIraqiciviliansis
25 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/14/drug-cartels-learn-modern-warfare-ukrainian-front-lines/
26 https://www.apminebanconvention.org/en/news/article/treaty-president-on-the-statement-by-ukraine-to-suspend-operation-ofthe-convention
27 https://theconversation.com/european-countries-are-now-turning-to-landmines-to-create-new-deadly-defensive-barriers-fromrussia-266181
28 https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2025/06/13/russia-ukraine-uses-homemade-3d-printed-anti-personnel-mines/
refectedinthefnancialcontributionsfromthe internationalcommunity.Between2019and2023, countriesspentacombined$453.4milliononmine actioninIraq,thesecondhighestamountofanycountry afterUkraine.Itisestimatedthatannualcontributions declinedfromafve-yearpeakof$104.5millionin2020 to$68.1millionin202329 andtherecentUSAidcuts, oneofthemajordonorstothedeminingeffortsaround theworld,areputtingthefutureofIraq’sdemining effortsatrisk.30
Croatia
Againstthebackdropofreportsofdecliningfundingand increaseoflandmine/ERWcontaminatedlandin variouspartsoftheworld,thereisgoodnewscoming fromCroatia.Afteranearly30-year-longbattleagainst landmines,andoffciallydeclaringtheSplit-Dalmatia Countymine-freeinAprilthisyear,thecountryison tracktodeclareitselfmine-freeby2026.Croatiabegan clearing1,174squarekilometresoflandin1996,and since1998hasdoneoutstandingworkwiththesupport ofseveraldonors,includingtheEuropeanUnion.Since 1998,€1.107billionhasbeenspentonmineclearance operations,ofwhichapproximately60%wascovered bystatefundsandapproximately26%(€286,441,128) byEuropeanfunds,includingloansfromtheWorld Bankandotherlocalandforeigndonors.31
INTHISEDITION
Inaninsightfulandwide-rangingseriesofthreearticles forthiseditionofCounter-IEDReport,PaulAmorosoof AssessedMitigationOptionsConsultancy,analyses IEDincidentsusingthe5W+Hmethod,whichenhances situationalawarenessandidentifesstrengthsand weaknessesinanIEDsystem.Hedifferentiates betweenIEDuseandIEDemployment,focusingon activitiesandbehavioursassociatedwithIEDattack cycles.IEDemploymentreferstothedeploymentof IEDswithinspecifcincidents,emphasizingtactical intentanddesign.The5W+Hanalysisprovidesa
comprehensiveunderstandingofthethreat,enabling thedevelopmentoftoolsforaccurateIEDthreat analysis.Inhissecondarticle,‘InsightsintoIED Employment’,theauthordiscussesthedevelopmentof tacticaldesignproflesandIEDtacticalsignatures, whichprovideastructuredapproachtounderstanding theplanningandexecutionofIEDattacks.Heoutlines threeprimaryanalysismethods:3Ysand2Outcomes, IDREADAnalysis,andTRACE-AS-ADDED Framework.IEDtacticalsignaturesassessthethreat's sophisticationandcanbeadaptedtospecifc operationalcontexts.TheauthordescribesvariousIED attacks,includingareadenial,commandambushes, reoccupation,hoaxincidents,spoofng,TrojanHorses, anddroneuse.InhisfnalarticleinthisEdition,‘IED IncidentProfles’,theauthorexploreshowtactical designproflescanbeintegratedwithother C-IEDanalysistoproduceIEDincidentprofles.He describeshowtechnicalidentifers,IEDcomponents andcharacteristics,areusedtoproducetechnical deviceproflesandhowpatternanalysissupports thedevelopmentofIEDtechnicalsignatures. HedetailsvariouscharacteristicsofanIED–confguration,confnementandconcealment. Componentfunctionality,complexityandimplementation all contributetotechnicaldeviceproflingwiththeend resultbeinganIEDincidentprofle.
Inathought-provokingandhighlytopicalarticle, CaptainMarcMennediscussestheglobal transformationaleffectsofdronetechnologyandthe needforstructuralcountermeasures.Dronesarenow presentincommercialairspace,evolvingfrom reconnaissanceanddeliveryplatformstostrategic weaponssystems.TheBASISProjectaimsto integratestructuralprotectionmeasuresintoa multidimensionalcounter-droneprotectionconcept, focusingonthedevelopment,testing,andevaluation ofamodularsteel-sandwichconstruction(SSC) designedtowithstandexceptionaleffectslike fragmentationandexplosiveinducedblastwaves.The
29 https://inkstickmedia.com/us-aid-cuts-put-the-future-of-iraqs-demining-efforts-at-risk/
30 https://inkstickmedia.com/us-aid-cuts-put-the-future-of-iraqs-demining-efforts-at-risk/
31 https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Media/Galleries/Mines-in-Croatia-the-fnal-step
SSCisparticularlyvaluableforcriticallyimportantroad bridgesonNATOsupplylinesinmainlandEuropeand anIsraelihospital.Theauthorhighlightsthe importanceofSSCprotectioninprotectingvulnerable roadbridgesandaddressingattacksbyunmanned aerialsystemsagainstSaudiArabianoilproduction facilitiesin2019.Theattacksresultedinfnancial losses,globaloilshortfalls,andpriceincreases.The authorconcludesthatitistimetoprovidestructural protectiontocriticallyimportantinfrastructuresystems andgiveittheweightitdeservesinplanning, procurement,anddelivery.
Inhisarticle ‘AcceleratingThreatDetectionwithRealTimeVideoX-RayImaging’,MarcJansen,Headof SalesandMarketingatTeledyneICM,outlineshow advancementsindigitalradiographyhaveintroduced real-timevideoacquisitioncapabilities,transformingthe tacticalutilityofX-raysystemstodeliveractionable clarityinreal-time.Incontemporarythreatenvironments timeisoftheessence.Asanexampleofthiscapability, hedescribestheTeledyneICMC-ViewX-raysystem thathasbeenengineeredforrapiddeploymentandfeld resilience.Heoutlinesascenariofollowingacredible threattoamajormetropolitantransporthub.This resultsinthenecessitytoevacuatethestationandthe subsequentneedtocheckmanyunattendedpersonal belongingssuchasuitcasesandotherhandbaggage. ThischeckingisundertakenusingalivevideoX-ray systemthatenablestheprocesstobecompletedmuch morerapidlythanifusingconventionalX-raysystems. HedescribeshowtheTeledyneICMC-Viewsystem’s compactarchitectureandrapiddeploymentcapability makesitsuitableforawiderangeofoperational environmentstoincludepublictransporthubs,event security,bordercontrolandcustoms,military operations,CriticalInfrastructureprotection,law enforcementandmailandparcelsecurity.C-Viewis designedforthedeliveryofactionableclarityinrealtime,tacticalagilityandhandhelduseinruggedand austereenvironments–asignifcantshiftinthreat detectiontoday.
IntheirarticletheSpanishEM&EGroupdescribe theaunav.CBRSVehicleSampleCollectionKit.This vehicleisdesignedtoautomatethehithertohazardous
processofCBRNsamplecollectionafterthereleaseof CBRNmaterial.Thefrstresponsestepissample collectionwhichcurrentlyforcespersonneltowear heavycumbersomeprotectionsuits,movingslowly andatgreatrisk.Theaunav.CBRSVehicleSample CollectionKitdramaticallyaltersthedynamicofsuch operationsbyshiftingthisdangerousmissionfrom humanhandstoaroboticarmoperatedsafelyfrom insidethevehicle,thusautomatingbothsample collectionandstorage.Thevehiclecomprisesthree maincomponents–aRoboticArm,aSample ContainerandSamplingTools.Thefveautomated stepsintheprocessaredescribedindetail.The aunav.systemdeliversfvekeyoperationaladvantages –EnhancedSafety,Versatility,Integrity,Effciencyand Compactness.Insummary,theaunav.CBRSVehicle SampleCollectionKittransformswhatwasoncea high-riskmanualtaskintoacontrolled,repeatableand secureprocess.Thisrepresentsatransformational changeinCBRNsamplecollection. ■
RobHyde-Balesbiography
DuringhiscareerintheUKRoyal Engineers, RobHyde-Bales was responsibleforlandmineclearance inLibyaand,morelatterly, Afghanistanintherunningofthe frstUnitedNationshumanitarian landmineclearancetraining programme–OperationSalam. TheprogrammetrainedAfghanmalerefugeesin landmineclearancetechniques,andAfghanwomen andchildreninmineawarenessandavoidance training.MorerecentlyhesetuptheCaribbean SearchCentreinKingston,Jamaica.TheCentreis designedtotrainsecurityforcesacrosstheCaribbean inmodernsearchtechniques.Afterretiringfromthe armyhejoinedCranfeldUniversityatShrivenham, nearOxford,andundertookaresearchprojecton behalfoftheUKMinistryofDefencethatexamined waystoimprovethesharingofIEDthreatinformation betweenthemilitaryandcivilianorganisationsin hazardousareas.
