ISSN2050-6732(Print)
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UNDERSTANDINGANDTHREATALIGNMENTWITHINAC-IEDENTERPRISE
IEDCLASSIFICATION–BREAKINGDOWNBOMBATTACKS
AJOURNEYTHROUGHPIECESOFSPICEPIES WHATCOMPONENTSMAKEUPANIED–TECHNICALCOMPONENTCLASSIFICATION “OLD?”C-IEDFORA“NEW?”ALLIEDCONCEPT: THEC-IEDAPPROACHINTHELIGHTOFNATOWARFAREDEVELOPMENTIMPERATIVES
IMPROVINGUNDERWATERCAPABILITIES: THEIMPACTOFARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCEONIEDDETECTIONANDIDENTIFICATION
INFRASTRUCTUREANDCOMMERCIALPROJECTS: EOCLEARANCEANDRISKMANAGEMENT LANDMINEREMOVALINPOST-CONFLICTAZERBAIJAN 2024-2025THREATDYNAMICS: PROLIFERATIONOFONLINEINSTRUCTIONSPOTENTIALLYSUPPORTINGTERRORISTATTACKS
EDITORIALANDTECHNOLOGYPARTNERS
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CONTENTS
IFCSMARTRAYVISION
5ICORTECHNOLOGY/MED-ENG
7NATOEODDEMONSTRATIONSANDTRIALS2025
8SAFEPROGROUPINC.
8VIDISCOLTD.
9FOREWORD
ByRobHyde-Bales,ConsultingEditor,Counter-IEDReport
11TELEDYNEICM
16COUNTERINGEXPLOSIVETHREAT&DEMININGCONFERENCE
17UNDERSTANDINGANDTHREATALIGNMENTWITHINAC-IED ENTERPRISE
ByPaulAmoroso,anexplosivehazardsspecialist atAssessedMitigationOptions(AMO)consultancy
25IEDCLASSIFICATION–BREAKINGDOWNBOMBATTACKS
ByPaulAmoroso,anexplosivehazardsspecialist atAssessedMitigationOptions(AMO)consultancy
33AJOURNEYTHROUGHPIECESOFSPICEPIES WHATCOMPONENTSMAKEUPANIED-TECHNICALCOMPONENT CLASSIFICATION
ByPaulAmoroso,anexplosivehazardsspecialist atAssessedMitigationOptions(AMO)consultancy
CONTENTS
41FUTUREFORCESEXHIBITION&FORUM2026
42EOD/ IED&COUNTERMINESYMPOSIUM
43“OLD?”C-IEDFORA“NEW?”ALLIEDCONCEPT:THEC-IED APPROACHINTHELIGHTOFNATOWARFAREDEVELOPMENT IMPERATIVES
ByLieutenantColonelJoseMRufas,ChiefofAttacktheNetworksBranch, C-IEDCentreofExcellence
51IMPROVINGUNDERWATERCAPABILITIES:THEIMPACTOF ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCEONIEDDETECTIONANDIDENTIFICATION
ByMuratAydoğmuş,LieutenantCommander(OF-3)TUR-N, ElectronicWarfareSpecialist,C-IEDCentreofExcellence
57INFRASTRUCTUREANDCOMMERCIALPROJECTS: EOCLEARANCEANDRISKMANAGEMENT
ByDrRobertKeeley,RKConsulting(EOD)Ltd
72DEFENSE&SECURITYASIA2025
73LANDMINEREMOVALINPOST-CONFLICTAZERBAIJAN
ByWilderAlejandroSánchez,President,SecondFloorStrategies
792024-2025THREATDYNAMICS:PROLIFERATIONOFONLINE INSTRUCTIONSPOTENTIALLYSUPPORTINGTERRORISTATTACKS
ByLieutenantColonelJoseMRufas,ChiefofAttacktheNetworksBranch, C-IEDCentreofExcellence
87MILIPOLPARIS2025
OBCSCANNAMSCLTD
FOREWORD
ByRobHyde-Bales,ConsultingEditor,Counter-IEDReport
Aswecommemoratethe80thAnniversaryofthe endoftheSecondWorldWarinEuropeon8th May 2025,thebloodiestandthelargestwarintheworld’s recenthistory,confictcontinuesinmanyareasofthe world.InEuropewarhasreturnedafterRussia’s invasionofUkraineinFebruary2022.IntheMiddle East,IsraelremainsmiredinGazainitseffortsto defeatHamasafteritsattacksonIsraelinOctober 2023.Mostrecently,tensionshavefaredupagain betweenIndiaandPakistan–twonucleararmed nations–afterthedeathsofIndiantouristsatthe handsofsuspectedPakistanbasedmilitantsinthe disputedterritoryofKashmirinAprilthisyear.
EUROPE
Russia-Ukraineconfict
Oneofthemajorsourcesofconfictintheworldtoday remainsthebitterwarbetweenRussiaandUkraine.The initialconfictwhicherupted11yearsagoinDonbas regionwassparkedbyapoliticalunrestinUkraineand Russia'sannexationofCrimeaduringthepower vacuumintheweeksaftertheEuromaidanRevolution inMarch2014.Afterafull-scaleRussianinvasionin February2022,itremainsoneofthemostcomplexand defningissuesinworldpoliticstoday.Aftermorethan threeyearsofhostilities,Russianowoccupiessome 20%ofUkrainianterritoryincludingCrimea.
Asaresultofheavyfghting30%oftheUkrainian territoryispotentiallycontaminatedwithlandmines, unexplodedordnance(UXO),andimprovised explosivedevices(IEDs).Themostaffectedregions includeKharkiv,Kherson,Donetsk,Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia,andMykolaivregions.NGOslikeHALO Trust,MAG,andFSDareconductingclearance operationsinsaferareas.USA,EU,Japan,Canada, andotherinternationaldonorshaveprovidedfunding, equipment,andtraining;mineriskeducationisbeing rolledoutinschoolsandruralcommunities.Modern technologies,suchasdronesandremote-sensingare beingusedtomapminefeldsalongwithground-based roboticdeminingsystemsandmetaldetectors;AIassistedtoolsareusedtoimprovedetectionspeedand accuracyinclearanceoperations.IntheKurskregion ofRussia,whichbordersUkraine,deminingandUXO disposaloperationsarealsounderwayfollowingheavy fghtingduringUkraine’snine-monthsincursion.
SincethestartofRussia'sfull-scaleinvasionof Ukraine,therehavebeenanumberofhigh-profle assassinationsinRussiausingimprovisedexplosive devices.Thelatestincidentoccurredon25th April,when LieutenantGeneralYaroslavMoskalik,asenior Russianmilitaryoffcer,waskilledinasuburbeastof Moscowwhenanimprovisedexplosivedeviceflled withshrapnelwasconcealedinacarparkednearhis homeanddetonatedashewalkedpast.Thisattackis verysimilartotheonethattookplaceinDecember 2024inwhichLt.Gen.IgorKirillov,whoservedasthe commanderoftheRussianRadiological,Chemical,and BiologicalDefence,waskilledbyanexplosivedevice hiddeninsideanelectricscooter,whichwasleftnextto theentranceofthebuildingwhereLt.Gen.Kirillovlived.
Inanothernotableoperation,abatchofFPV(FirstPersonView)dronegogglessenttoRussianmilitary unitswereriggedwithexplosivesanddeliveredaspart of‘humanitarianaid’.Russianmilitarypersonnelnoticed signsoftamperingwiththepackages,leadingtoafurther inspectionandthediscoveryofconcealedexplosives. Eachdevicecontainedabout10-15gramsofexplosives, enoughtokillorseriouslyinjureaperson.
Severalroundsofindirectpeacetalksinitiatedbythe newlyelectedUSgovernment,sofarhavenot producedanytangibleresultsduetotheirreconcilable positionsofthewarringparties.Atthetimeofwriting, Kyivandwesternleaderscalledfora30-daypausein fghting.On11th May,Moscowproposedtoresume directnegotiationswithKyiv,whichwereinterrupted inApril2022.Itremainstobeseenwhetherthetalks (iftheytakeplace)willbeabletobridgethedifferences betweenthetwosidesandleadtoade-escalationof theconfict.
Ireland
Explosive-ladendroneshaveemergedasasignifcant securityconcerninIreland1,particularlyinthecontextof organisedcrimeandprisonsmuggling.Inthelatest development,Gardaíarecurrentlyinvestigatingwhat appearstobeanattempttodropapipebombfroma droneonahouseinnorthDublin.Thewreckageofthe droneandanintactpipebombwerefoundinthegarden ofahouseinGlentiesPark,Finglas,lateon4th May 2025afteritappearedtohavecrashedatthewrong address.Authoritiesareconcernedthatthegangland feudlinkedtotheincidentwillnowescalatesharply. Thesedevelopmentsrefectabroadertrendwhere criminalorganizationsareleveragingdronetechnology tocarryouttargetedattacksusingexplosives.
MIDDLEEAST
Israel–GazaConfict
IntheMiddleEast,IsraelremainsmiredinGazainits effortstoreleasetheremaininghostagesanddefeat
HamasafteritsattacksonIsraelinOctober2023.There areconfictingreportsofthenumberofhostagesinthe Hamascaptivity.Accordingtothelateststatementof IsraeliPrimeMinisterBenjaminNetanyahutherewas "uncertainty"overtheconditionofthreeofthe24 hostagespreviouslybelievedtobealive2.Amid continuationoftheongoinghostilitiesintheGazaStrip thereisagrowingconcernoverthehumanitarian situationandthepresenceofunexplodedordnance (UXO)whichposesaseriousthreattociviliansand humanitarianaideffortsfollowingintensemilitary operationsandbombardments.Inaddition,Gazalacks suffcientmineclearanceteams,accesstomodern deminingtechnologyandequipment,andtheongoing confictmakesitdiffculttoconductsurveysand explosivesclearanceoperations.
Yemencrisis
SinceIsraellaunchedamilitaryoffensiveagainstHamas intheGazaStripfollowingthePalestinianmilitant group’sdeadlyattackonIsraelon7th October2023,the Iran-backedHouthisinYemenhavesteppeduptheir militaryactions,particularlytargetingshippingintheRed SeaandIsraelimainland.
InanattempttokeepthevitalRedSeatraderoute open,theUnitedStatesandBritainhaverespondedwith airstrikesagainstHouthitargets,whileothercountries independentlypatrolthewatersnearYemen.TheIsraeli militaryhascarriedoutseveralairstrikesagainstHouthi weaponsfacilities, commandandcontrolcentres,and criticalinstallations,includingtheportofHodeidaand Yemen’smainairportinSanaa.On6th May2025,a ceasefreagreementbetweentheUnitedStatesandthe Houthiscameintoeffect,endingtheUSandUK airstrikes.TheHouthisagreedtostoptheirattackson shippingintheRedSea,howevertheystressedthatthe ceasefredoesnotapplytoIsrael“inanyway,shapeor form.”ItremainstobeseenwhethertheUS-Houthi ceasefrewillholdorwhetherIsraelcanforcethe Houthistostoptheirattacksthroughsustainedmilitary anddiplomaticefforts.
1 https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2025/05/07/drone-pipe-bomb-incident-raises-concerns-of-serious-feud-escalation/ 2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8d1pngdjzmo
Turkey
On1st May2025,theKurdistanWorkers'Party(PKK) declaredaceasefreafter40yearsofconfictwith Turkeythathavekilledtensofthousandsofpeople. ThePKK,whichisdesignatedaterroristgroupbythe UnitedStates,theEuropeanUnionandTurkey,called onAnkaratoreleaseitsleaderAbdullahOcalan,who hasbeenjailedsince1999.On12th May2025,ina historicmove,thePKKannouncedits plantodisbandanddisarm,potentially endingfourdecadesofconfictwith Turkey.Thelastsignifcantattack attributedtothePKKoccurredon23rd October2024,whentheytargetedthe TurkishAerospaceIndustries(TAI) headquartersnearAnkara.Theattack leftfvepeopledeadand22wounded.
Post-AssadSyria
Syriaiscurrentlydividedamong severalarmedgroupsandregional powers.HayatTahriral-Sham(HTS) controlsmuchofthewesternand centralpartsofthecountry,including Damascus,andhasinitiatedeffortsto unifyarmedfactionsunderanational defenceframework.TheSyrian DemocraticForces(SDF),aKurdishledalliance,maintainscontrolover north-easternSyriabuthasfaced pressurefromTurkish-backedSyrian NationalArmy(SNA)forces,leadingto ongoingclashesinareaslikeTalRifaat andManbij.TheIslamicState(ISIS) hasexploitedthepowervacuum carryingoutaround700attacksin 2024.ISIShasalsoattemptedtoincite sectarianviolence,includingplansto targetShiaholysites,whichwere thwartedbyHTSforces.Aseriesof masskillingsandmassacresagainst AlawitesoccurredinSyriafrom
6th to17th March2025,witharesurgenceinearlyApril. Overseveraldaysofthesustainedattacksinthe coastalareaofthecountryinTartus,Latakiaand Hamagovernorates,armedgroupskilledentire families,includingwomenandchildren3.TheUN HighCommissionerforHumanRights(OHCR) spokespersonThameenAl-Kheetansaidtheagency haddocumentedatleast111killings,thoughthetrue
3 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/12/middleeast/syria-sectarian-violence-un-ohcr-intl-hnk/index.html Go-Scan C-View
REAL-TIME X-RAY INSPECTION
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numberisbelievedtobefarhigher.Accordingtoawar monitor,thebloodshedsawmorethan800people killedinclashesbetweenarmedgroupsloyaltoBashar al-AssadandforcesloyaltothenewSyrianregime.
MineclearanceinSyriaremainsacriticaland urgenthumanitarianchallengein2025,asthecountry continuestograpplewiththelegacyofits14-yearcivil war.Internationalorganizations,includingTheHALO TrustandUNMAS,haveintensifedtheireffortsto addressthecontamination.UNMAShassurveyedover 83millionsq.mandremoved1,102explosive ordnanceitemsbetweenAugust2023andJanuary 2025,focusingonhigh-priorityareassuchasRural Damascus,Aleppo,andLatakia.Despitethese efforts,challengespersist,includinglimitedfunding, bureaucraticobstacles,andthevastscaleof contamination.TheSyrianNetworkforHumanRights (SNHR)hasdocumentedatleast3,521civiliandeaths duetolandmineexplosionssince2011.
SOUTHASIA
India–PakistanConfictinKashmir
TheIndia–PakistanconfictinKashmirisoneof thelongest-runningterritorialdisputesinmodern history,rootedinthepartitionofBritishIndiain 1947.Indian-administeredKashmirhasseena decades-longinsurgencywhichhasclaimed thousandsoflives.
InlateApril2025,tensionsbetweenIndiaand Pakistanescalateddramaticallyfollowingamilitant attackinIndian-administeredKashmirthatkilled28 civilians,mostlyHindutourists.Indiaattributedthe attacktoPakistan-basedmilitants,whichPakistan denies,andrespondedwithmissilestrikesagainst militantgroupsitclaimsarebackedbyPakistan.In response,Pakistanfredmultiplemissilesand launchedover50dronestowardsJammuand Kashmir,PunjabandRajasthan.TheUnitedStatesled effortstode-escalatetheconfict,resultinginIndiaand Pakistantoagreetoaceasefre,buttheriskoffurther escalationremainshigh,asthecountrieshave accusedeachotherofviolationsshortlyafterthe agreementcameintoforce.
JaffarExpressattackinPakistan
On11th March2025,theBalochistanLiberationArmy (BLA)attackedtheJaffarExpress,aPakistani passengertraintravelingthroughtheBolanPassin Balochistan,takingaround440passengershostage, includingasignifcantnumberofwomenandchildren. Theattackers,whowerereportedlyintouchwiththeir foreignhandlersinAfghanistanviasatellitephone, detonatedexplosivesintunnelsandonthetrain tracksbeforeopeningfreonthetrain,haltingitina mountainousareadiffcultforauthoritiestoreach.The terroristorganizationhadissueda48-hourultimatumto releasetheBalochpoliticalprisoners,threateningto executethehostages,althoughtheyhadalready releasedsomeofthem.Within30hours,securityforces killedall33militants,includingthesuicidebombers,and rescued354hostages.Theoperationleftatleast64 peopledead,including18soldiersand33attackers,and wounded38.TheBLAclaimedtohavekilled50security personneland214hostages,althoughthosefgures weredisputedbyPakistanioffcials.Thehijackingtook placeagainstthebackdropofalmostdailyIEDandgun attacksonthesecuritypersonnelandciviliansin BalochistanandKhyberPakhtunkhwaprovinces.
AFRICA
Sahel&LakeChadbasin
TheSahelcontinuestobeahotspotforextremist activity,accountingforoverhalfofallmilitantIslamist incidentsonthecontinent.GroupslikeJama’atNusrat al-Islamwal-Muslimin(JNIM)andtheIslamicStatein theGreaterSahara(ISGS)haveintensifedattacks, leadingtonearly11,000fatalitiesin2024alone.Since 2010,over1,600IED-relatedincidentshavebeen recordedacrosstheregion,resultinginatleast6,680 deathsandmorethan9,000injuries.Thesedevices havebeenusedtotargetsecurityforces,UN peacekeepers,andcivilians,particularlyincountries likeMali,BurkinaFaso,andNiger.Theproliferationof IEDshasalsoledtoenvironmentalcontaminationand signifcanteconomiclosses,impedingdevelopment effortsanddisplacingmillions.Inadequateborder controlsandregulatoryframeworksallowforthe
uncheckedmovementofIEDcomponentsandthe establishmentofmanufacturingnetworks.IntheLake Chadbasinwomenplayasignifcantroleintraffcking importantcomponentsandbomb-makingmaterials throughcheckpointsandacrossbordersbecausethey arerarelysubjectedtobodysearches4.TheBoko Haram,typicallyknownforitsconservativeviewson women’ssocialstatus,haspermittedwomengreater mobilitybecausetheyareawarewomenareusually abovesuspicionwithlawenforcementauthorities. WomenoftenconcealIEDcomponentsinvarious ways,suchasstrappingthemtotheirbacksdisguised as‘babies’,hidingtheminfour-litrebottlesor concealingcomponentsunderpillows.Oncepast checkpoints,womeneitherdeliverthecomponents directlytoremoteBokoHaramhideoutsordropthe productsoffatpre-designatedlocations,inthebushor onfarms,creatingadditionalchallengesforlaw enforcementandcounterterrorismeffortsintheregion.
Nigeria
In2024,Nigeriaexperienced197attacksfrom improvedexplosivedevices(IEDs)–anaverageof nearlyoneIEDattackeverytwodays. On8th May,an IEDexplosioninMafaLocalGovernmentAreaof BornoState,leftfvechildreninjured,oneofwhomlost ahand.Theexplosionoccurredwhenthechildren unknowinglytamperedwithanIEDdevice.On28th Aprilatleast26people,includingwomenandchildren, werekilledwhenvehiclesdetonatedbyIEDsplantedin Nigeria’snorth-easternBornoState.Thevictimswere travellinginvehiclesalongtheroadfromRannto GamboruNgala,whereBokoHaramterroristsplanted anumberofexplosivedevices.Inadditiontothe26 fatalities,threepeoplesustainedseriousinjuries.
TheNigerianNationalSecurityAdviser(NSA), MallamNuhuRibadu,hascalledfordevelopmentof effectivemechanisms5 toenhancetheabilitytoprevent andcountertheuseofIEDsbyterroristgroupsinWest Africa.Ribadusaidthatthethreatofterrorismknows
nobounds,addingthatitwasthroughcollaborative effortsbycriticalstakeholdersthattheycould effectivelyconfrontanddefeatthemenace.
On25th MarchCamerooniantroopsstationedin Wulgo,Nigeria,havebeenkilledinthejihadists’attack. AccordingtoAFP,theattackersusedrocket-propelled grenadesand‘armeddrones’toinfictheavycasualties. Theattack,oneoftheregion'sdeadliestincidentsin recentmonths,comesasarmedgroupsinwest Africapivottowardstheuseofcheap,recreational dronesmodifedintoone-way,explosives-ladenattack vehicles.ArmedgroupsinNigeriaandtheSahelhave longuseddronesforsurveillanceandflming propaganda,however,ashiftisunderwayasjihadists andseparatistsoutftthemforattacks.Jihadistgroups inMaliandBurkinaFasohaveclaimedtousedrones equippedtodropgrenadesfromabove,aswellas explosive-laden‘suicidedrones’thatcrashintotargets6
DEMININGEFFORTS
BosniaandHerzegovina
Accordingtotherecentreports,theArmedForcesof BosniaandHerzegovina(BiH)cleared903,326square metersoflandin2024aspartofongoingdemining efforts7.Intotal,over14.7millionsquaremetersofland werereturnedtocivilianuse,contributingtothe developmentandsafetyoflocalcommunities.Despite operationalchallenges,theArmedForcessuccessfully implemented61.28percentofthenationalmine actionplan.Deminingactivitiestookplaceacross18 municipalities,including13intheFederationofBiH and5inRepublikaSrpska.
Vietnam
MarkinganotherstepintheUSandVietnam’s decades-longefforttohealthescarsofwar,anew trainingrangeforexplosiveordnancedisposal(EOD) hasrecentlybeeninauguratedinHanoi’soutlying districtofBaVi.ThefacilitywasfundedbytheOffceof
4 https://enactafrica.org/enact-observer/under-the-radar-women-traffc-ied-parts-to-boko-haram
5 https://nannews.ng/2025/05/06/nsa-seeks-effective-mechanism-to-tackle-ieds-usage-by-terrorists/
6 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/nigeria-sahel-militants-embrace-diy-drone-warfare/ar-AA1BLzq6
7 https://english.news.cn/europe/20250424/e84b9d702e2f414fbd81ec940c36992e/c.html
DefenceCooperation(ODC)undertheUSEmbassyin VietnamanddeliveredtotheVietnamNationalMine ActionCentre(VNMAC),aspartofVietnam’sNational MineActionProgrammeforthe2010–2025period, whichseekstoaddressthedeadlylegacyof unexplodedbombsandminesleftfromthewar.The two-hectarerangebrokegroundinJuly2024, supportedbyagrantofover700,000USDfromtheUS Government8
Cambodia
AccordingtoareportfromtheCambodianMineAction andVictimAssistanceAuthority(CMAA)releasedat theendofApril2025thenumberofpeopleinjuredor killedbylandminesdroppedby26%inthefrstfour monthsofthisyear9.Inanotherpositivedevelopment, on29th ApriltheKohKong’sBotumSakordistrict wasoffciallydeclaredmine-free10,beneftingabout 100,000residents,throughgrantaidfromtheIndian government.LyThuch,frstvicepresidentofthe CambodianMineActionandVictimAssistance Authority,expressedappreciationforIndia’ssupportin helpingthegovernmentaddressthedangersposedby landminesandexplosiveremnantsofwar.However,it wasalsoreportedthatnearlyhalfofallmineaccidents inCambodiaoverthepastdecadehaveoccurred outsideofoffciallyidentifedminefelds-analarming indicatorthatvastareasremainunsurveyed.
INTHISEDITION
Inhiscomprehensivepaper“Infrastructureand commercialprojects:EOclearanceandrisk management,”DrRobertKeeleyofRKConsulting (EOD)Ltdoutlinesthedifferencesbetween humanitarianandcommercialperspectivesofmine actionandhowtheyinfuencetheattitudetoEO clearanceincommercialprojectsandinfrastructure.He beginsbydescribingtheUNguidingprinciplesof Neutrality,Humanity,Impartiality,andIndependence. Underthe1997APMBCand2008CCMconventions
thereisarequirementforhumanitarianmineactionto clearallEOcontaminationwithinaprescribedarea, whereasincommercialprojectstherequirementisto clearEOspecifcallyrelevanttotheprojectinhand.He providesaformaldefnitionofrisk,attitudestoriskand potentialconsequences–physicalrisk,projectriskand reputationalrisk.IncommercialmineactionEO clearanceisseenasanenablertoallowthewidergoals oftheprojecttobeachieved.Hedescribestheoverall riskmanagementprocessandprovidesadetailed tableonrecommendedriskmanagement/treatment approachesfortheclearanceofcommercialproject sites.HeprovidesamostusefulSPRtabletoassistin theidentifcationofanappropriatemineaction intervention–‘S’beingtheSourceofthepotential hazard,‘P’isthePathway-theroutetothepotential hazardand‘R’istheReceptor–forexampleapersonor abuildingbenefttingfromtheclearance.Healso identifespossibleresponsestothehazard.
InhistechnicallydetailedarticleLieutenant CommanderMurat Aydogmus oftheTurkishNavyand basedattheNATOC-IEDCentreofExcellence, examinestheimpactofAIonunderwaterdetectionand identifcationofIEDsonorburiedintheseabed.He pointsoutthattheincreasingrelianceonnavaland offshoreassetsfortrade,energyproductionand defencemeansthattheunderwaterthreathasbecome acriticalconcernforglobalsecurity.HedescribeshowAI hasrevolutionisedunderwaterthreatdetection.He outlinestechnicalapproachestothreatdetectionsuch assonarscanning,magneticanomalydetection,diver inspectionandROVs.Hedescribestheoperationsof twosonarsystems,theSideScanSonar(SSS)and SyntheticApertureSonar(SAS).Bothsystemsproduce detailedimageryoftheunderwaterenvironment.The SSSisatowedsystemandemitssoundwaveswhich interactwiththeseafoorandobjectsonitorburiedinit, producinganacousticrefection.TheSASismounted onaUUVandmonitorsandrecordsbackscattered signalsfromtheseabed.Itproducesafnerresolution thantheSSSsystem.Magneticanomalydetectionuses
8 https://vietnamnet.vn/en/vn-us-boost-ties-with-new-uxo-disposal-training-site-launch-2398876.html
9 https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501675501/cmaa-reports-26-drop-in-mine-blast-victims-in-frst-quarter-of-year/
10 https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501674937/botum-sakor-district-in-koh-kong-to-be-declared-mine-free
asensitivemagnetometertodetectdisturbancesin theEarth’smagneticfeld.Forunderwaterdetection purposesitmaybeattachedtoships,UUVsoraircraft. TheintegrationofArtifcialIntelligenceintounderwater detectionsystemsenhancessituationalawareness, effciency,anddecision-makingcapabilities.
InawidelyresearchedarticleLtColJoseMRufasof theNATOC-IEDCentreofExcellencestatesthat despiteintenseeffortsbynationalandinternational authorities,theinternetremainsthemostprolifc sourceoftechnicalknowledgefortheplanningand preparationofterroristattacksduringthiscenturyto date.Itprovidesextensiveonlinedisseminationof manuals,videos,andinstructionsonthemanufactureof HMEandIEDs.Jihadistsandotherterroristsand extremistscansourceawealthofcontentdescribingthe planningofattacks,acquiringprecursorsand components,themanufactureofexplosivesandthe constructionofdevices.ThecurrentconfictinUkraine haswitnessedasignifcantuptickinthistypeofonline informationprovidedbysupportersofbothsidesofthe confict.TodatethisyearthemediaoffcesofDAESH/ ISIShaveportrayedanincreasingnumberof explosivesrelatedthreatsintheirpropagandaposters. Aworryingtrendduring2024and2025hasbeenthe increasingdiversityandlocationsofsourcesinaddition tothetraditionalArabicandEnglishlanguages information.Itisnowpossibletofndinformationin theBrazilian,German,Italian,Russian,Spanish,and Turkishlanguages.Afurtherconcernhasbeenthe reappearanceofhithertodormantsourcesofterrorist informationincluding,interalia,theDAESHrelated “AlSaqriFoundationforMilitaryScience”thatisonce againproducingawealthofterroristrelatedinformation. Itisassessedthattheongoingconfictcampaignin Ukrainewillcontinuetobeavaluablesourceof referenceforIEDmanufactureanddeployment.
InhisinformativearticleWilderAlejandroSanchez,an internationaldefenceandsecurityanalyst,reviewsthe currentstateoflandmineremovalinpost-confict Azerbaijan.TheAzerbaijanigovernmentiscurrently undertakingextensiveclearanceoflandmines,UXOand otherERWresultingfromthe2020and2023conficts betweenArmeniaandAzerbaijaninordertoreturnthe
contaminatedterritoriestocivilianandcommercialuse. ThecontaminationcomprisesbothAPandAV landminesandotherUXOandERW.TheMineAction AgencyoftheRepublicofAzerbaijanistaskedwiththe extensiveclearanceoperationsandhasmadegood progresstodate,butmuchmoreneedstobedone. Civiliansreturningtotheterritoryremaininperiland from2020to31st December2024therewere229 landmineexplosionsinKarabakhresultingin382 victimsand70fatalities.Azerbaijanwillrequire continuinginternationalassistancetodecontaminate Karabakhterritory.TodatetheUS,UK,EU,Canada, Japan,Turkey,UNHCR,UNDPandICRChaveprovided assistanceandGICHDhasprovidedsubstantial technicalassistanceincludingIMSMA.Apositive developmenthasbeentheinvolvementoffemale deminingteamsintheclearanceactivities.The decontaminationoftheKarabakhregionwillremaina long-termproject.■
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.
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