Improvised explosive device 265112 225161094 2008-07-12T05:43:47Z Badagnani 308437 /* Improvised Rocket Assisted Munitions */ [[Image:IED Baghdad from munitions.jpg|thumb|Munitions rigged for an IED discovered by Iraqi police in Baghdad, November 2005.]] An '''improvised explosive device''' ('''IED''') is a [[bomb]] constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional [[military]] action. They may be partially comprised of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery round, attached to a detonating mechanism. IEDs may be used in [[terrorist]] actions or in [[unconventional warfare]] by [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]]s or [[commando]] forces in a [[theater (warfare)|theater of operations]]. In the 2003&ndash;present [[Iraq War]], IEDs have been used extensively against coalition forces and by the end of 2007 they have been responsible for approximately at least 40% of coalition deaths in Iraq.<ref name=icasualties/> They are also used extensively by cadres of the rebel [[Tamil Tiger]] (LTTE) organization against military and civilian targets in [[Sri Lanka]].<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/srilanka/globalthreat.html Suicide Terrorism: A Global Threat]</ref><ref>[http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/13/stories/2006041304711500.htm 13 killed in blasts, arson in Sri Lanka]</ref> IEDs are often placed on the curb of roads so as to detonate at passing vehicles or pedestrians, and so are sometimes known as '''roadside bombs'''. ==Background== An IED is a bomb fabricated in an improvised manner incorporating destructive, lethal, noxious, [[pyrotechnic]], or [[Incendiary device|incendiary]] [[Chemical industry|chemicals]] and designed to destroy or incapacitate personnel or vehicles. In some cases, IEDs are used to distract, disrupt, or delay an opposing force, facilitating another type of attack. IEDs may incorporate [[military]] or commercially-sourced explosives, and often combine both types, or they may otherwise be made with home made explosives (HME). An IED typically consists of an explosive charge (potentially assisted by a booster charge), a [[detonator]], and an initiation system, which is a mechanism that initiates the electrical charge that sets off the device. An IED designed for use against armored targets such as personnel carriers or tanks will also include some form of armor penetrator, typically consisting of a copper rod or cone, propelled by the shaped explosive load. IEDs are extremely diverse in design, and may contain many types of initiators, detonators, penetrators, and explosive loads. Antipersonnel IEDs typically also contain shrapnel-generating objects such as nails or ball bearings (known as shipyard confetti after the metal waste found in the shipyards of Belfast). IEDs are triggered by various methods, including remote control, infra-red or magnetic triggers, pressure-sensitive bars or trip wires. In some cases, multiple IEDs are wired together in a daisy-chain, to attack a convoy of vehicles spread out along a roadway. IEDs made by inexperienced designers or with substandard materials may fail to [[Detonation|detonate]], and in some cases actually detonate on either the maker or the emplacer of the device (these unintended early detonations are known as pre-detonations or "[[own goal]]s" if the placer is killed in the detonation). Some groups, however, have been known to produce sophisticated devices that are constructed with components scavenged from conventional [[munition]]s and standard consumer [[electronics]] components, such as [[mobile phone]]s, washing machine timers, pagers, or garage door openers. The sophistication of an IED depends on the training of the designer and the tools and materials available. The majority of IEDs use conventional [[Explosive material|high-explosive]] charges as their explosive load. However, the threat exists that toxic [[chemical warfare|chemical]], [[biological warfare|biological]], or radioactive ([[dirty bomb]]) material may be added to a device, thereby creating a host of other life-threatening effects beyond shrapnel, concussive blasts and fire normally associated with bombs. A '''vehicle borne IED''', or '''VBIED''', is a military term for a [[car bomb]] or truck bomb. These are typically employed by [[suicide bomber]]s, and can carry a relatively large payload. They can also be detonated from a remote location. VBIEDs can create additional shrapnel through the destruction of the vehicle itself, as well as using vehicle fuel as an [[incendiary weapon]]. ==History== === World War II === One of the first examples of coordinated large-scale use of IEDs was the Belorussian ''[[Rail War]]'' launched by Belorussian guerrillas against the Nazis during [[World War II]]. Both command-detonated and delayed-fuse IEDs were used to derail thousands of German trains during 1943–1944. === Vietnam === IEDs were used during the [[Vietnam War]] by the [[National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam|Viet Cong]] against land- and river-borne vehicles as well as personnel.<ref>[http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/vietnam/minesouthviet.htm Mine Warfare in South Vietnam<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> They were commonly constructed using materials from unexploded American [[Unexploded ordnance|ordnance]].<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/series/pt_05.html American Experience | Vietnam Online | Transcript | PBS<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Thirty-three percent of U.S. casualties in Vietnam and twenty-eight percent of deaths were officially attributed to mines; these figures include losses caused by both IEDs and commercially manufactured mines.<ref>[http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/gen1/General-03.htm In Its Own Words<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The ''Grenade in a Can'' was a simple and effective [[booby trap]]. A [[hand grenade]] with the safety pin removed and safety lever compressed was placed into a container such as a tin can, with a length of string or [[tripwire]] attached to the grenade. The can was fixed in place and the other end of the string stretched across a path or doorway opening and firmly tied down. Alternatively, the end of the string could be attached to the moving portion of a door or gate. When the grenade was pulled out of the can by a person or vehicle placing tension on the string, the spring-loaded safety lever would release and the grenade would explode. The ''rubber band grenade'' was another booby trap. To make this device, a Viet Cong guerrilla would wrap a strong [[rubber band]] around the spring-loaded safety lever of a hand grenade and remove the pin. The grenade was then hidden in a hut. American and [[South Vietnam]]ese soldiers would burn huts regularly to prevent them from being inhabited again, or to expose [[foxhole]]s and [[tunnel]] entrances, which were frequently concealed within these structures. When a hut with the booby trap was torched, the rubber band on the grenade would melt, releasing the safety lever and blowing up the hut. This would often wound the soldiers with burning bamboo and metal fragments. This booby trap was also used to destroy vehicles when the modified grenade was placed in the fuel tank. The device would be triggered when the rubber band would be eaten away by the chemical action of the fuel, releasing the safety lever and detonating the grenade. Another variant was the ''[[Antique fruit jar|Mason jar]] Grenade.'' The safety pin of hand grenades would be pulled and the grenades would be placed in glass Ball Mason jars which would hold back the safety lever. The safety lever would release upon the shattering of the mason jar and the grenade would detonate. This particular variant was popular with chopper crews, which would use them as improvised anti-personnel cluster bombs during air raids. They were easy to dump out of the flight door over a target and the thick Ball Mason glass was resistant to premature shattering. ===Northern Ireland=== Throughout [[The Troubles]], the [[Provisional IRA]] made extensive use of IEDs in their [[Provisional IRA campaign 1969-1997|1969-1997 campaign]]. From simple petrol bombs ([[Molotov cocktail]]) to sophisticated [[barrack buster]] mortars and remote controlled IEDs, the members of the PIRA developed and counter-developed devices and tactics. PIRA bombs became highly sophisticated, featuring [[anti-handling device]]s such as a [[mercury switch|mercury tilt switch]] or [[microswitch]]es. These devices would [[detonate]] the bomb if it was moved in any way. Typically, the safety-arming device used was a clockwork Memopark timer, which armed the bomb five minutes after it was placed by completing an electrical circuit supplying power to the anti-handling device. Depending on the particular design (e.g. [[boobytrap]]ped [[briefcase]] or [[car bomb]]) an independent electrical circuit supplied power to a conventional timer set for the intended time delay, e.g. 40 minutes. However, some electronic delays developed by PIRA technicians could be set to accurately detonate a bomb weeks after it was hidden, which is what happened in the [[Brighton hotel bombing|Brighton hotel bomb attack]] of 1984. Initially, bombs were detonated either by timer or by simple command wire. Later bombs could be detonated by radio control. Initially, simple servos from [[radio-controlled aircraft]] were used to close the electrical circuit and supply power to the detonator. After the British developed jammers, PIRA technicians introduced devices which required a sequence of pulsed radio codes to arm and detonate them. These were harder to jam. Roadside bombs were extensively used by the [[Provisional IRA]]. Typically, a roadside bomb was placed in a drain or culvert along a rural road and exploded by remote control when [[British Army]] or other security forces vehicles were passing. The most lethal example of these attacks came in 1979, when 18 British soldiers were killed by two culvert bombs in the [[Warrenpoint ambush]]. As a result of the use of these bombs, the British military had to stop transport by road in areas such as South Armagh, and use [[helicopter]] transport instead. In the 1980s and 1990s, all [[culvert]]s were [[welded]] and [[concrete]]d shut, so that explosives could not be placed in them. Most IEDs used commercial or homemade explosives, although the use of [[Semtex]]-H smuggled in from [[Libya]] in the 1980s was also common from the mid 1980s onwards. [[Bomb Disposal]] teams from [[321 EOD]] manned by [[Ammunition Technicians]] were deployed in those areas to deal with the IED threat. In the early 1970s, at the height of the PIRA campaign, the [[British Army]] unit tasked with rendering safe IEDs, [[321 EOD]], sustained significant casualties while engaged in bomb disposal operations. This mortality rate was far higher than other high risk occupations such as deep sea diving, and a careful review was made of how men were selected for [[EOD]] operations. The review recommended bringing in [[psychometric]] testing of soldiers to ensure those chosen had the correct mental preparation for high risk bomb disposal duties. The IRA came up with ever more sophisticated designs and deployments of IEDs. [[Booby Trap]] or Victim Operated IEDs (VOIEDs), were commonplace. The IRA engaged in an ongoing battle to gain the upper hand in electronic warfare with remote controlled devices. The rapid changes in development led 321 EOD to employ specialists from [[Defence Evaluation and Research Agency|DERA]] (now privatised into [[QinetiQ]]), the [[Royal Signals]], and [[Intelligence Corps|Military Intelligence]]. This multi-unit approach led to the development and use of most of the modern weapons, equipment and techniques now used by EOD Operators throughout the rest of the world. The [[bomb disposal]] operations were led by [[Ammunition Technician]]s and [[Ammunition Technical Officer]]s from [[321 EOD]], and were trained at the [[Felix Centre]] at the [[Army School of Ammunition]]. To this day the [[Felix Centre]] is the foremost authority on [[IEDD]] in the world. {{fact|date=March 2008}} ===Afghanistan=== [[Image:Alleged bomb-maker instructing recruits.jpg|thumb|Bomb-maker in rural Afghanistan, July 2002.]] Following the [[Soviet invasion of Afghanistan|invasion]] of [[Afghanistan]] by the [[USSR]] on [[27 December]] [[1979]], the Afghan [[Mujahideen]] were supplied with large quantities of military supplies from many [[Muslim]] states and from the United States. Among those supplies were many types of [[anti-tank mine]]s. The Afghan Mujahideen often removed the explosives from several foreign anti-tank mines, and combined the explosives in tin cooking-oil cans for a more powerful blast. Often the foreign anti-tank mines were enclosed in plastic containers, making them difficult to detect. By combining the explosives from several mines and placing them in tin-cans, the Afghan Mujahideen made them easier to detect. After an IED was exploded, the Afghan Mujahideen often used direct fire weapons such as machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades to continue the attack. Afghan Mujahideen operating far from the border with [[Pakistan]] did not have a ready supply of foreign anti-tank mines. They preferred to make mines from Soviet unexploded ordnance. The anti-tank mines were rarely triggered by pressure fuses. They were almost always remotely detonated. Since the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|2001 invasion of Afghanistan]], the [[Taliban]] and its supporters have used IEDs against American, [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]], and Afghan military and civilian vehicles. While the number of such attacks has been far lower than those in Iraq, the number has been steadily increasing. ===Lebanon=== [[Hezbollah]] made extensive use of IEDs to attack [[Israel]]i forces after Israel's [[1982 invasion of Lebanon]]. Israel withdrew from most of [[Lebanon]] in 1985 but still kept troops stationed in a [[buffer zone]] in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah frequently used IEDs to attack Israeli vehicles in this area up until the Israeli withdrawal in [[May 2000]]. One such bomb killed Israeli [[Brigadier General]] [[Erez Gerstein]] on [[February 28]], [[1999]], the highest-ranking Israeli to die in Lebanon since [[Yekutiel Adam]]'s death in [[1982]]. Also in the [[2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict]], a [[Merkava]] Mark II [[tank]] was hit by a [[Hezbollah]] IED killing all 4 [[Israel Defense Forces|IDF]] servicemen on board, the first of two IEDs damaging a [[Merkava]] tank. ===Chechnya=== IEDs have also been popular in [[Chechnya]], where [[Russia]]n forces are currently engaged in fighting with rebels. While no concrete statistics are available on this matter, bombs have accounted for many Russian deaths in both the [[First Chechen War]] ([[1994]]&ndash;[[1996]]) and the [[Second Chechen War|Second]] ([[1999]]&ndash;present). ===Iraq=== [[Image:IED Controlled Explosion.jpg|thumb|Controlled explosion of IED, US Army in Iraq.]] In the 2003&ndash;present [[Iraq War]], IEDs have been used extensively against coalition forces and by the end of 2007 they have been responsible for approximately at least 40% of coalition deaths in Iraq.<ref name=icasualties/> Beginning in July 2003, the [[Iraqi insurgency]] used IEDs to target [[Multinational force in Iraq|Coalition]] vehicles. According to [[iCasualties.org]], as of [[November 21]] [[2007]] approximately at least 40% of Coalition fatalities in the Iraq War are caused by IEDs.<ref name=icasualties/> According to the [[Washington Post]], 63% of U.S deaths in Iraq occurred due to IEDs.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/09/28/GR2007092802161.html More Attacks, Mounting Casualties - washingtonpost.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A French study<ref name=Steinhofer>Jean-Pierre Steinhoffer : « Irak : les pertes de la Coalition par EEI », in ''le Casoar'' January 2007.</ref> shows that in Iraq, from March 2003 to November 2006, on a global {{formatnum:3070}} deaths in the US-led Coalition soldiers, {{formatnum:1257}} were caused by IEDs, i.e 41 %. That is to say more than in the "normal fights" (1027 dead, 34 %). Insurgents now use the bombs to target not only Coalition vehicles, but Iraqi police and civilian transportation as well. Common locations for placing these bombs on the ground include animal [[carcass]]es, [[soft drink can]]s, and [[box]]es. Typically they explode underneath or to the side of the vehicle to cause the maximum amount of damage; however, as [[vehicle armor]] was improved on military vehicles, insurgents began placing IEDs in elevated positions such as on [[traffic sign|road signs]], utility poles, or [[tree]]s, in order to hit less protected areas. IEDs in Iraq may be made with [[artillery]] or [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]] [[projectile|shell]]s or with varying amounts of bulk or homemade [[explosive]]s. Despite the increased [[armor]], IEDs have been killing soldiers with greater frequency. [[May 2007]] was the deadliest month for IED attacks thus far with a reported 89 of the 129 Coalition casualties coming from an IED attack.<ref name=icasualties>[http://icasualties.org/oif/IED.aspx iCasualties: OIF - Deaths by IED<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> According to the Pentagon, 250,000 tons (of 650,000 tons total) of Iraqi ordnance were looted, providing a large supply of ammunition for the insurgents.<ref>[http://hammernews.com/lootedhopes.htm AN OUNCE of PREVENTION by Michael Hammerschlag<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In October 2005, The UK government charged that [[Iran]] was supplying insurgents with the technological know-how to make [[shaped charge]]s, which focus the blast in a specific direction, and can pierce greater thicknesses of armor with less explosive.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4312516.stm BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iran 'behind attacks on British'<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Both Iranian and Iraqi government officials deny this.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4315924.stm BBC NEWS | Middle East | Blair warns Iran over Iraq bombs<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://nyjtimes.com/cover/11-11-05/IranWarnedNotToMeddle.htm British Official Warns Iran Not to Meddle in Iraq<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == Types of devices == ===By warhead=== The Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (JCS Pub 1-02) includes two definitions for improvised devices: improvised explosive devices (IED), and improvised nuclear device (IND).<ref>[http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/new_pubs/jp1_02.pdf JP 1-02 Deparment of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> '''Improvised Explosive Device''' - A device placed or fabricated in an improvised manner incorporating destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals and designed to destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract. It may incorporate military stores, but is normally devised from nonmilitary components. Also called IED. '''Improvised Nuclear Device''' - A device incorporating radioactive materials designed to result in the dispersal of radioactive material or in the formation of nuclear-yield reaction. Such devices may be fabricated in a completely improvised manner or may be an improvised modification to a US or foreign nuclear weapon. Also called IND. These definitions address the Nuclear and Explosive in CBRNE. That leaves chemical, biological and radiological undefined. Four definitions have been created building on the structure of the JCS definition. The following terms have been created to standardize the language of first responders and members of the military and to correlate the operational picture.<ref>[http://www.cbrneworld.com/images/CBRNe_WORLD.pdf CBRNe World pages<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> '''Improvised Chemical Device'''--A device incorporating the toxic attributes of chemical materials designed to result in the dispersal of these toxic chemical materials for the purpose of creating a primary patho-physiological toxic effect (morbidity & mortality), or secondary psychological effect (causing fear and behavior modification) on a larger population. Such devices may be fabricated in a completely improvised manner or may be an improvised modification to an existing weapon. Also called ICD, “''al Mobtakar al Farheed''” '''Improvised Biological Device'''--A device incorporating biological materials designed to result in the dispersal of vector borne biological material for the purpose of creating a primary patho-physiological toxic effect (morbidity & mortality), or secondary psychological effect (causing fear and behavior modification) on a larger population. Such devices are fabricated in a completely improvised manner. Also called IBD '''Improvised Radioactive Device'''--A device incorporating radioactive materials designed to result in the dispersal of radioactive material for the purpose of area denial and economic damage, &/or for the purpose of creating a primary patho-physiological toxic effect (morbidity & mortality), or secondary psychological effect (causing fear and behavior modification) on a larger population. Such devices may be fabricated in a completely improvised manner or may be an improvised modification to an existing nuclear weapon. Also called IRD or “dirty bomb” '''Improvised Incendiary Device'''- A device leveraging exothermic chemical reactions designed to result in the rapid spread of fire for the purpose of creating a primary patho-physiological effect (morbidity & mortality), or secondary psychological effect (causing fear and behavior modification) on a larger population or it may be used with the intent of gaining a tactical advantage. Such devices may be fabricated in a completely improvised manner or may be an improvised modification to an existing weapon. Also called IID, arson or "Molotov Cocktail". ===By delivery mechanism=== ==== Car bomb/vehicle-borne ==== [[Image:Iraq carbomb.jpg|thumb|Artillery rounds and gasoline cans discovered in the back of a pick-up truck in Iraq.]] Vehicles may be laden with explosives, set to explode by remote control or by a passenger/driver, commonly known as a [[car_bombs|car bomb]] or VBIED pronounced ''vee-bid''. On occasion the driver of the car bomb may have been coerced into delivery of the vehicle under duress, a situation known as a [[Proxy_bomb|Proxy Bomb]]. Distinguishing features are low-riding vehicles with excessive weight, vehicles with only one passenger, and ones where the interior of the vehicles look like they have been stripped down and built back up. Car bombs can carry thousands of pounds of explosives and may be augmented with [[shrapnel]] to increase fragmentation. The U.S. State Department has published a guide on car bomb awareness.<ref>[http://wikileaks.cx/wiki/When_broken_down_vehicles_go_boom! "Terrorist Tactics: When broken down vehicles go boom!", U.S. State Department Bureau of Diplomatic Security, December 2005]</ref> ==== Boat-borne ==== Boats laden with explosives can be used against ships and areas connected to water. An early example of this type was the Japanese [[Shinyo (suicide boat)|Shinyo]] suicide boats during [[World War II]]. The boats were laden with explosives and attempted to ram Allied ships, sometimes successfully, having sunk or severely damaged several American ships by war's end. Suicide bombers used a boat-borne IED to attack the [[USS Cole bombing|USS Cole]], US and UK troops have also been killed by boat-borne IEDs in Iraq.<ref name=Steinhofer/><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6146844.stm BBC NEWS | UK | Iraq boat attack personnel named<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==== Animal-borne ==== Monkeys and [[War pig]]s were used as incendiaries around [[1000]] AD. More famously the "[[Anti-tank dog]]" and "[[Bat bomb]]" were developed during WW2. In recent times, a 2 year old child and 7 other people were killed by explosives strapped to a horse in the town of Chita in [[Colombia]]<ref name=horsebomb>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3098746.stm BBC NEWS | Americas | 'Horse bomb' hits Colombia town<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and a donkey was used in a similar fashion in Afghanistan.<ref name=horsebomb/> ==== Collar bombs ==== IED strapped to the neck of farmers have been used extensively by guerrillas in Colombia, as a way of extortion.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3036664.stm BBC NEWS | Americas | Experts defuse necklace bomb<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/751237.stm BBC News | AMERICAS | 'Necklace' bomb halts Colombia talks<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> American pizza delivery man [[Brian Douglas Wells]] was killed in 2003 by an explosive fastened to his neck, purportedly under duress from the maker of the bomb. ==== Suicide bombers ==== [[Suicide bombing]] usually refers to an individual wearing explosives and detonates them in order to kill others including themselves. The bomber will conceal explosives on and around their person, commonly using a vest and will use a timer or some other trigger to detonate the explosives. Suicide bombers in Iraq are common in marketplaces and where Iraqi army and police recruits frequent. On [[February 1]], [[Iraqi insurgency|Iraqi insurgents]] attached explosives to two women – at the time alleged to be mentally disabled<ref>"[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/world/middleeast/21iraq.html?ref=world Files for Suicide Bombers Show No Down Syndrome]", ''New York Times'', February 21, 2008. Accessed April 6, 2008.</ref> –and detonated them remotely, killing over 70 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7221639.stm|title=BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Twin bombs kill scores in Baghdad|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk|accessdate=2008-02-04}}</ref> ==== Platter charges ==== A form of IEDs being used in Iraq are platter charges, which are rectangular or circular pieces of flat metal (usually steel) weighing a few kilograms with plastic explosives pressed onto one side of the platter.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/20-32/chap13b.html FM 20-32 CHAPTER 13<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The amount of explosive used is usually equal, by weight, to the weight of the platter. The explosives propel the platter into the target with an approximate velocity of {{convert|6000|ft/s}}.<ref>[http://govtsecurity.com/mag/stuck_security/ The Department of Energy (DOE) has reactivated a Cold War technology called sticky foam to tighten security at sites that store bomb-grade processed uranium and plutonium<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The effective range can be as far as 50 meters, limited by the accuracy. ==== Explosively formed penetrators ==== [[Image:Improvised explosive device explosively formed penetrator Iraq.jpg|thumb|Improvised explosive device in Iraq. The [[wiktionary:Concave|concave]] [[copper]] shape on top is an [[explosively formed penetrator]].]] IEDs have been deployed in the form of [[explosively formed penetrator]]s, a special type of shaped charge that is effective at long standoffs from the target (50 meters or more). These are especially problematic to counter because they can be placed so far from their intended targets.<ref>[http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/archive/index.php/t-10384.html U.S. military officials believe financial incentives help explain why troops face big - World Affairs Board<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> An EFP is essentially a cylindrical shaped charge with a concave metal disc (often copper) in front, pointed inwards. The force of the shaped charge turns the disc into a bolt of molten metal, capable of penetrating the armor of most vehicles in Iraq. ====Improvised Rocket Assisted Munitions==== {{main|Lob bomb}} In 2008, rocket-propelled IEDs, dubbed ''Improvised Rocket Assisted Munitions'' ''(IRAM)'' by the military, came to be employed in numbers against U.S. forces in Iraq. They have been described as [[propane]] tanks packed with explosives and powered by [[107mm rocket]]s.<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. Troops in Iraq Face A Powerful New Weapon: Use of Rocket-Propelled Bombs Spreads|author=[[Ernesto Londoño]]|publisher=[[Washington Post]]|date=July 10, 2008|page=A01|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/09/AR2008070902396_pf.html}}</ref> === Trigger mechanisms === The British also accused Iran and [[Hezbollah]] of teaching Iraqi fighters to use [[infrared]] light beams to trigger IEDs. As the occupation forces became more sophisticated in interrupting radio signals around their convoys, the insurgents adapted their triggering methods.<ref>[http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2007/June/BombMakingSkills.htm "Bomb Making Skills Spread Globally", ''National Defense'' magazine, June 2007]</ref> In some cases, when a more advanced method was disrupted, the insurgents regressed to using uninterruptable means, such as hard wires from the IED to detonator; however, this method is much harder to effectively conceal. It later emerged however, that these so-called "advanced" IEDs were actually old [[Provisional IRA|IRA]] technology. The infrared beam method was perfected by the IRA in the early '90s after it acquired the technology from a botched undercover British Army operation. Many of the IEDs being used against coalition forces in [[Iraq]] were originally developed by the British Army who unintentionally passed the information on to the IRA.<ref>[http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/ulster/article320004.ece "Revealed: IRA bombs killed eight British soldiers in Iraq", ''This Britain'', UK - Independent.co.uk]</ref> ==Detecting and disarmament == [[Image:IED detonator.jpg|thumb|A U.S. Marine in Iraq shown with a robot used for disposal of buried devices]] Since these devices are improvised, there are no specific guidelines for [[bomb disposal|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] (EOD) personnel to use to positively identify or categorize them. EOD personnel are trained in the [[render safe procedure|rendering safe]] and disposal of IEDs. The presence of [[chemical warfare|chemical]], [[biological warfare|biological]], [[radioactivity|radiological]], or [[radioactivity|nuclear]] ([[CBRN]]) material in an IED requires additional precautions. As with other missions, the EOD operator provides the area commander with an assessment of the situation and of support needed to complete the mission. Military forces and law enforcement personnel from around the world have developed a number of [[Render safe procedure|Render Safe Procedures]] (RSP) to deal with IEDs. RSPs may be developed as a result of direct experience with devices or by applied research designed to counter the threat. The claimed effectiveness of remote jamming systems, proven or otherwise, has caused IED technology to essentially regress to command-wire detonation methods.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/an-vlq-9.htm Warlock Green / Warlock Red / AN/VLQ -9 or -10 SHORTSTOP Countermeasure]</ref> These are physical connections between the detonator and explosive device and cannot be jammed. However, these types of IEDs are more difficult to emplace quickly, and more readily detected. Military forces from [[Canada]], [[United Kingdom]], [[Israel]], [[Spain]] and the [[United States]] are at the forefront of counter-IED efforts, as all have direct experience in dealing with IEDs used against them in conflict or terrorist attacks. Technological countermeasures are only part of the solution in the effort to defeat IEDs; experience, training and awareness remain key factors in combating them. For example, there are visual signs that may suggest the presence of an IED, such as recently turned-over soil or sand by a road, or an abandoned vehicle beside a road. Recognizing these telltale signs may be as valuable as having sophisticated detection equipment. ==See also== * [[Blast fishing]] * [[Blast bomb]] * [[Letter bomb]] * [[Molotov cocktail]] * [[Nail bomb]] * [[Pipe bomb]] * [[Time bomb (explosive)]] * [[Radiological weapon]] ==References== {{refs|2}} ==External links== {{linkfarm}} *[http://www.combatfilms.com/cfrtv_archive_0007.asp CFR-TV Episode 7] -- Video of a blue VBIED detonated from a distance. *[http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2669647 iFilm video of vehicle struck by IED] *[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/etc/script.html Transcript of PBS ''Frontline'' episode ''Private Warriors''] -- this transcript corresponds to the above iFilm video: ''"On occasion, Erinys has recorded insurgent attacks using a camera mounted on the dashboard. Watch the next parked car on the right. The security detail immediately opens fire. The driver has been knocked unconscious. Then the dashboard camera is turned off. About 20 minutes later, the guards, unharmed, have secured the area. They report that one Iraqi was killed."'' *[http://www.stratign.com/improvised_explosive_device_jammer.htm Stratign] Jammers *[http://www.alluviam.com/Community/Products/HazMasterG3/default.aspx Alluviam] IED Decision Support *[http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-3-04/IED.htm Defense Update] The use of IED in Asymmetric Warfare *[http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-2-05/IED-3.htm Defense Update] Protection against IED *[http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-3-04/vehicle-protection-design.htm Defense Update] Protected vehicles *[http://www.defense-update.com/products/t/thor-IED.htm Defense Update] Israeli IED Neutralizer *[http://www.cbrneworld.com/images/CBRNe_WORLD.pdf] IED Definition Structure Applied to the CBRN Threats (p9-11) [[Category:Bombs]] [[Category:Explosives]] [[Category:Improvised explosive devices| ]] [[da:Vejsidebombe]] [[de:IED]] [[eo:Improviza eksploda aparato]] [[es:Bomba caminera]] [[fr:Engin explosif improvisé]] [[he:מטען גחון]] [[hu:Robbanóeszköz]] [[it:Ordigno esplosivo improvvisato]] [[ja:即席爆発装置]] [[pl:Fugas]] [[fi:Tienvarsipommi]] [[sv:Improvised explosive device]] [[zh:簡易爆炸裝置]]