Forward roll: the next generation of route clearance equipment

摘要

Unimpeded operational manoeuvre is imperative for the secure deployment of forces and materiel, and the assured denial of a tactical or strategic initiative to the enemy, particularly in asymmetric campaigns. This freedom of manoeuvre can only be acquired and sustained through an effective route-proving and clearance (RP&C) capability able to detect and neutralise improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and conventional mines. Effective RP&C delivers operational tempo, secures logistics momentum, and improves local confidence in security. While the human cost is woefully manifest, from a purely RP&C perspective the equation is straightforward: a cheap simple IED can tie up millions of dollars of equip ment, severely constrain the ability of land forces to manoeuvre, and isolate dispersedoperating bases and/or civilian communities.