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IED AWARENESS
OBJECTIVES:
An IED can be almost anything with any type of material and initiator. It is a "homemade"
device that is designed to cause death or injury by using explosives alone or in combination
with toxic chemicals, biological toxins, or radiological material. IEDs can be produced in
varying sizes, functioning methods, containers, and delivery methods. IEDs can utilize
commercial or military explosives, homemade explosives, or military ordnance and ordnance
components.
They are unique in nature because the IED builder has had to improvise with the materials at
hand. Designed to defeat a specific target or type of target, they generally become more
difficult to detect and protect against as they become more sophisticated.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Coupling. Coupling is a method of linking one mine or explosive device to another, usually with
detonating cord. When the first device is detonated, it also detonates the linked explosive. This
technique is often used to defeat countermine equipment, such as mine rollers.
Rolling. The roller will pass over the initial, unfuzed device and set off the second fuzed device.
This in turn detonates the overpassed device underneath the clearing vehicle. When the linked
devices are directional fragmentation mines, they can create a large, lethal engagement area.
Boosting. Buried mines, UXOs, or other explosive devices are stacked on top of one another.
The device buried deepest from the surface is fuzed. Fuzing only the deepest ordnance helps
mask no- and low-metal explosive hazards placed near the surface. This reduces the probability
of detection by metal detectors, and it increases the force of the blast.
Sensitizing antitank (AT) mines. On some nonmetallic AT mines, the pressure plate is
cracked and the spring is removed to reduce the pressure required to initiate the mine. Similarly,
the pressure plate can be removed from metallic AT mines to create the same effect. A
pressurefuzed AP mine can be placed on the top of an AT mine, thus creating a very large AP
mine as an alternative method.
Daisy chaining. AP mines may be used in daisy chains linked with other explosive hazards.
Enemy forces may link the mines together with trip wire or detonating cord. When the initial
The enemy in Iraq has used IEDs consisting of mortar and artillery projectiles as the explosive
device. The most common explosives used are military munitions, usually 122 mm or greater
mortar/tank/artillery.
Vehicle borne IEDs (VBIEDs) are devices that use a vehicle as the package or container of the
device. These IEDs come in all shapes, colors, and sizes which vary by the type of vehicles
available - small sedans to large cargo trucks. There have even been instances of what
appeared to be generators, donkey drawn carts, and ambulances used to attempt attacks on
Coalition Forces and the New Iraqi Government.
Larger vehicles enable larger amounts of explosive that can be used, resulting in a greater
effect. Functioning of devices can vary within the same methods as the package types and can
have the same common characteristics or indicators as other IEDs.
VBIEDs have increasingly used larger amounts of explosives, and the explosive charge has
ranged anywhere from 100lbs to well over 1000 pounds. The explosive charge has included
items such as mortar rounds, rocket motors, rocket warheads, PE4 explosives, and artillery
rounds.
Functioning of devices can vary within the same methods as the package types and can have
the same common characteristics or indicators as other IEDs
3. Suicide Bombs
A suicide bomber brings a singularly difficult threat for soldiers. The aim of the terrorist is not to
commit suicide, but to kill or injure as many other soldiers and civilians as possible.
Explosives with fragmentation can be contained in a vest, belt, or clothing that is specifically
modified to carry this material concealed. Vehicle-borne suicide bombs employ the same
methods and characteristics of other package or vehicle bombs using a command detonation
firing system.
In instances where the suspect is determined to be a suicide bomber, deadly force is normally
the only response option. In such cases, forces should be prepared for and expect a detonation.
Soldiers responding to such events should shoot from a protected position at as great a
distance as possible.
Though they can vary widely in shape and form, IEDs share a common set of components and
consist of the following:
A switch/trigger;
An initiator (fuze);
Main charge (explosive fill);
A power source for the switch/trigger; and
A container.
The use of booby traps is limited only by the imagination of the adversary. Booby traps are
victim-activated devices intended to create casualties and terror and may or may not be found
in areas of tactical significance.
Explosion Effects
Incendiary/thermal effect
Fragmentation
Shrapnel
Blast Pressure
o Positive Pressure
o Negative Pressure
Ground and/or water shock
Potential Injuries
Structural Hazards
o Glass
o Fragment
o Collapse
Agriculture
Demilitarization work
Excavation
Firefighting/fire suppression system
Logging
Manufacturing
Railroads
Tunneling
Welding
Booby traps:
Hand grenade with pin pulled, placed in a small glass with glass filled mortar or plastic of
paris.
120-mm HE mortar with hole drilled in shipping cap with an electric blasting cap inserted
(placed in a sandbag). Suicide vest-leather-look sleeveless waistcoat with explosives and
ball bearing sewn into the interior.
A thrown block of TNT with a grenade fuze inside
Some simple mine countermeasures that increase mine strike survivability include-
Injuries sustained during a mine strike are caused by the pressure wave of the primary blast,
the penetrating and non-penetrating wounds of the secondary blast, and the injuries
associated with being thrown some distance. The combat medic or lifesaver must be aware of
multiple wounds and combination wounds that usually result from a mine strike and must
know how to thoroughly treat the patient. Additionally, treatment of shock becomes important,
especially since 86.5 percent of Soviet mine strike victims went into shock. Fifteen percent of
shock cases were irreversible, and the victim died in a short period of time.