Detecting Improvised Explosive Devices: Enduring Threat Requires Enduring Solutions.

摘要

With a new defense strategy, the withdrawal of forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, and looming budget and personnel cuts, the United States has an opportunity to reevaluate its counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) strategies and develop enduring strategies to detect and mitigate IEDs in future conflicts. IEDs are an enduring, global threat and the weapon of choice for insurgents, terrorists, and other adversaries wishing to oppose a technologically superior force. The United States has spent billions of dollars to develop technologies to detect IEDs, but those efforts have not significantly improved IED find rates. In truth, dogs, humans, and low-tech methods are the best detectors. To effectively detect and mitigate IEDs in the future, the United States must export its Defeat the Device and Attack the Network training, methodology, and capabilities to its partners and allies to ensure that they possess the capability to defeat IEDs within their areas of responsibility. This paper focuses on defeating the device, specifically ground- emplaced (buried or surface-laid) IEDs.