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Defense and Security Studies

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Journal

2017

ERW clearance

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Improvised Explosive Devices (Ied): A Humanitarian Mine Action Perspective, Robert Keeley Apr 2017

Improvised Explosive Devices (Ied): A Humanitarian Mine Action Perspective, Robert Keeley

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Readers of this Journal need no schooling in the acceleration of the use of improvised explosive devices (IED) over the last 20 years. However, what has become obvious in the last few years is the degree to which the spheres of counter-IED (C-IED) and humanitarian mine action (HMA) now overlap. Danish Demining Group (DDG), for example, recently calculated that an estimated 67 percent of the countries where DDG is present also have an IED problem. In countries such as Afghanistan, IEDs are now the major cause of explosive-related casualties among the general population, the very constituents nongovernment organizations (NGO) and …


Mag: Clearing Improvised Landmines In Iraq, Chris Loughran, Sean Sutton Apr 2017

Mag: Clearing Improvised Landmines In Iraq, Chris Loughran, Sean Sutton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG’s recent experience in the Middle East has shown that clearing improvised landmines can be achieved even in the most complex humanitarian contexts. It is imperative that detail and specificity is given to discussions on improvised devices if we are to avoid negative repercussions for the safety of beneficiaries and humanitarian workers.


World War Ii Coastal Minefields In The United Kingdom, Roly Evans Apr 2017

World War Ii Coastal Minefields In The United Kingdom, Roly Evans

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

While not widely appreciated today, there were once 1,997 minefields in the United Kingdom containing between 338,500–350,000 landmines. If you were to walk today on a beach suitable for amphibious landing on either the south or east coasts of the United Kingdom, chances are that you would be walking on a former 1940s minefield. This article briefly explores the story of the United Kingdom’s coastal minefields, from their hasty installation through their costly clearance. Many of the lessons from this period remain relevant today, as countries seek to apply land release principles to reduce the risk of explosive contamination to …


Developing A Hyperspectral Non-Technical Survey For Minefields Via Uav And Helicopter, Milan Bajic, Tamara Ivelja, Anna Brook Apr 2017

Developing A Hyperspectral Non-Technical Survey For Minefields Via Uav And Helicopter, Milan Bajic, Tamara Ivelja, Anna Brook

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The main topic discussed in this paper is the research, development, and implementation of hyperspectral remote sensing technology in humanitarian mine action (HMA), mainly for non-technical survey (NTS) from aerial platforms. NTS should be conducted to determine whether landmines or unexploded ordnance (UXO) exist in considered areas and whether clearance is needed and if so, in what scope. The availability of the hyperspectral sensors (2011–2012) that are suitable for use with multi-engine unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) enabled the development of systems for HMA. While large and costly airborne hyperspectral systems have been available for over two decades, they had little …


Do No Harm: The Challenge Of Protecting Civilians From The Ied Threat In South-Central Somalia, Abigail Jones Apr 2017

Do No Harm: The Challenge Of Protecting Civilians From The Ied Threat In South-Central Somalia, Abigail Jones

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In many countries, improvised explosive devices (IED), including improvised landmines, now constitute more of a threat to civilians than factory-manufactured landmines and other conventional weapons. The Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor 2016 reported that the total number of casualties from victim-operated IEDs, which act in a similar manner to anti-personnel mines, increased from 1,075 in 2014 to 1,331 in 2015, the highest annual total of IED casualties recorded since 1999. In response to this, humanitarian mine action organizations are expanding their scope of activities to include IED awareness for civilians either as a stand-alone activity or by integrating messages on …


Effects Of Weather On Detection Of Landmines By Giant African Pouched Rats, Ian Mclean, Rebecca Sargisson Apr 2017

Effects Of Weather On Detection Of Landmines By Giant African Pouched Rats, Ian Mclean, Rebecca Sargisson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Although APOPO has trained mine detection rats for many years, no published data exist on how weather parameters relate to detection accuracy. Using data taken during routine training, we show that there was little relationship between the detection success of rats and rainfall but find that rates decreased, on average, with increasing temperatures and increased with higher humidities. Individual rats vary in terms of sensitivity to temperature in that