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2016-05-01

Mine-Detection Vehicles Integral in Protecting the Soldiers

Training is central to any anti-IED strategy

No matter how big, how strong or how fast a military force is, a simple home-made explosive is still a significant threat, whether buried in a roadbed, hidden in a car, or planted on a signpost.

The improvised explosive device (IED) is today’s weapon of choice for insurgents across the globe, a threat not only in a military context, but also to domestic security, civil defense or emergency services activities

“The ubiquitous nature of IED materials, their low cost and potential for strategic impact guarantee the IED will remain a threat and primary casualty-producing weapon for decades to come,” notes the Joint Integrated Threat Defeat Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Protecting People

People are the heart of every military organization, and their training is central to any anti-IED strategy. It takes about a year to teach soldiers to safely dismantle and destroy unexploded ordnance, and these skills atrophy quickly if not practiced regularly. The smallest mistake can be deadly. According to the U.S. Navy, the United States alone has lost 130 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists since September 11, 2001.

If the first step in IED protection is training, the last might be full-body bomb suits. In between is the EOD vehicle that gets the trained specialists to the mission. An EOD unit’s vehicle must be highly mobile, well protected and equipped with a range of equipment, from those bulky bomb suits to ground-penetrating radar and remote-controlled robots.

An effective EOD vehicle needs:

• Space for specialized EOD gear

• Bomb-detection equipment – either a mine roller or ground-penetrating radar attached to the front of the vehicle

• Off-road agility to maneuver around obstacles and take unanticipated routes

• Easy egress and ingress for specialists in bomb suits

• Significant underbody blast and ballistic protection

Light trucks lack the armor protection to endure blasts; tanks lack the storage capacity and easy access to support anti-mine robots and other gear. Oshkosh Defense has a specialized variant of its MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV), the M-ATV Engineer, that delivers all those requirements and more. Built on an extended-wheelbase M-ATV configuration, it has the same V-Hull and protective armor proven in more than 10,000 M-ATVs, but offers a custom-configurable cab with interior volume of almost 10 cubic meters that can be organized and tailored to the EOD team’s precise needs.

The M-ATV Engineer delivers the ultimate flexibility. For instance, the vehicle can support a tradeoff, with either carrying two bomb suits, or a robot and a PackBot, or even carry one bomb suit and one robot.

The cabin can be configured to optimize storage or seating for up to 11 personnel, or any combination of storage and seating. Outside the vehicle, the EOD features integrated mounts for mine rollers or other attachments.

“The M-ATV is built to easily integrate EOD attachments and sensors to deliver the highest MRAP-levels of protection for the greatest battlefield threats,” said Bill Mooney, regional vice president of Middle East and North Africa for Oshkosh Defense.

If the M-ATV Engineer pushes a mine roller, there is no concern of frame damage or engine fatigue due to the extra weight of the attachment. The vehicle is designed to do this mission. The same attention to detail went into the interior, where the mine roller controls were designed to be accessible to the vehicle commander so he can help out the driver in difficult circumstances.

Tightly integrated, extremely flexible, the M-ATV Engineer builds on its M-ATV legacy to be just as adaptable as the modern military forces that use it.

For more information about the M-ATV Family of Vehicles, go to www.oshkoshdefense.com

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