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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Ammunition Identification Guide For Ukraine: A Collaborative Project Amidst War (Ukrainian Edition), Lieutenant Perederii, Tony Salvo, Drew Prater
Ammunition Identification Guide For Ukraine: A Collaborative Project Amidst War (Ukrainian Edition), Lieutenant Perederii, Tony Salvo, Drew Prater
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Під час операцій зі знешкодження вибухонебезпечних предметів вміння ідентифікувати боєприпаси є надзвичайно важливим. Після ідентифікації боєприпасу стає відомим його заряд вибухової речовини/наповнювач та потенційні небезпеки, що у свою чергу уможливлює безпечне та контрольоване поводження із даним боєприпасом. Під час очищення Фаллуджі, Мосула і прилеглих територій в Іраку ми зіштовхнулися із залишеними вибухонебезпечними предметами (ЗВП) та вибухонебезпечними залишками війни (ВЗВ) з двадцяти трьох різних країн, що кинуло виклик навіть найзавзятішим вибухотехнікам. З огляду на це, було створено документ з ідентифікації боєприпасів на основі знайдених боєприпасів, найновіше видання якого містить понад 340 різних боєприпасів. Ті, хто старанно працює над знешкодженням вибухонебезпечних предметів …
Reviving Old Mosul: 3d Modeling Aids Safe Clearance In Iraq, Erin Atkinson, Marc Dennehy, Craig Locke
Reviving Old Mosul: 3d Modeling Aids Safe Clearance In Iraq, Erin Atkinson, Marc Dennehy, Craig Locke
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Under the 2014–2017 Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) occupation, the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, served as a headquarters for the self-proclaimed caliphate. ISIS produced, stored, and transited money, modern munitions, weapons, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) through the city's ancient stone streets. To approach the immense and technically challenging task of clearing the Old City efficiently, effectively, and safely—without compromising the city's rich cultural history—Tetra Tech created a 3D model using aerial photogrammetry to quantify and visualize the scope and scale of the project.
The Journal Of Conventional Weapons Destruction Issue 27.3 (2023), Cisr Jmu
The Journal Of Conventional Weapons Destruction Issue 27.3 (2023), Cisr Jmu
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
No abstract provided.
Ammunition Identification Guide For Ukraine: A Collaborative Project Amidst War, Lieutenant Perederii, Tony Salvo, Drew Prater
Ammunition Identification Guide For Ukraine: A Collaborative Project Amidst War, Lieutenant Perederii, Tony Salvo, Drew Prater
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
To deal with such a large number of diverse munitions, the US-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) Bomb Techs Without Borders (BTWOB),[1] has co-published the Basic Identification of Ammunition in Ukraine[2] (https://ukr.bulletpicker.com/id-guides.html), which is in its fourth version and is available in Ukrainian and English. Initially, the guide was exclusively available in Ukrainian to cater to the target audience—Ukrainian security services, sappers, and EOD personnel. However, an English version of the 3.0 edition was subsequently published on 22 March 2023.
Mag Emergency Response: Digital Explosive Ordnance Risk Education In Somalia, Robin Toal
Mag Emergency Response: Digital Explosive Ordnance Risk Education In Somalia, Robin Toal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
On 9 June 2023, a tragic accident involving unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Qoryoley town in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia claimed the lives of twenty-seven civilians, including twenty-two children, and left fifty-three others injured. The tragedy was caused when several young children discovered a mortar round on the ground in an open playing field that they started to play with and consequently exploded. In response to the accident, Mines Advisory Group (MAG) mobilized both headquarters and Somalia based staff to develop a rapid response digital explosive ordnance risk education campaign (DEORE) using paid adverts targeting Meta (Facebook & Instagram) …
An Accessible Seeded Field For Humanitarian Mine Action Research, Jasper Baur, Gabriel Steinberg, John Frucci, Anthony Brinkley
An Accessible Seeded Field For Humanitarian Mine Action Research, Jasper Baur, Gabriel Steinberg, John Frucci, Anthony Brinkley
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The detection of buried and surface explosive remnants of war (ERW) is a critical task in the land release process.[1] The goal of this project is to create a long-term study site and benchmark to accelerate humanitarian mine action (HMA) research for the detection of buried ERW, including unexploded ordnance (UXO), landmines, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). A crucial step in transitioning experimental detection techniques from the lab to the field is conducting rigorous field testing in a realistic and safe environment.[2],[3],[4] With most academic institutions lacking access to stockpiles of inert ERW to …
Empowering Host Nation Counter-Ied And Counter-Insurgency Efforts: Innovative Application Of Ordnance Recycling, Lynna Banach, Commodore Roy Vincent T. Trinidad, Captain Julien B. Dolor
Empowering Host Nation Counter-Ied And Counter-Insurgency Efforts: Innovative Application Of Ordnance Recycling, Lynna Banach, Commodore Roy Vincent T. Trinidad, Captain Julien B. Dolor
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
As the United States works to grow its defense partnership with the Philippines, the country continues to fight instability and insecurity amidst a lengthy battle against insurgent and terrorist groups.[i],[ii],[iii] As the overlap between urban areas and conflict zones increases, and with violent groups’ use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against government forces, the danger to civilians escalates.[iv] This paper provides a deeper understanding of how the prevalence of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and the use of IEDs in the Philippines fuel the realities of insurgency and humanitarian danger in the country. Furthermore, using Golden …
Integrated Cooperation In Implementing Firearm Deactivation Capabilities: Bosnia And Herzegovina, Colonel Geir P. Novik
Integrated Cooperation In Implementing Firearm Deactivation Capabilities: Bosnia And Herzegovina, Colonel Geir P. Novik
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Many of the illegal firearms used for terrorist and criminal activities throughout Europe originate from the Balkan region and have previously been legally exported and sold as deactivated firearms. However, due to variations in the quality of deactivation standards and verification processes, many deactivated firearms can easily be reactivated into fully functional military weapons. To prevent the illegal reactivation of additional weapons, new guidelines regarding deactivation standards and techniques have been introduced, thus ensuring that deactivated firearms are rendered irreversibly inoperable. Within the framework of the European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), a training program regarding the deactivation of …
Mine Action In Lebanon: Innovation, Learning, And Finishing The Job, Mark Wilkinson Phd
Mine Action In Lebanon: Innovation, Learning, And Finishing The Job, Mark Wilkinson Phd
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Lebanon is a country that has been severely affected by landmines, cluster bombs, and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) through decades of war and civil war. In many cases these legacies of war remain today, intertwined with the complex geopolitics of the region. Yet Lebanon is also a country that exemplifies excellence in mine action—from the strategic to the operational level.
Department Of State's Quick Reaction Force: Twenty-Three Years Of Service, Charlie Holloway
Department Of State's Quick Reaction Force: Twenty-Three Years Of Service, Charlie Holloway
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
For the past twenty-three years, the United States has provided rapid responses to landmine and munitions/explosives related emergencies in some of the most vulnerable populations around the world. Initiated with a group from Mozambique, the Quick Reaction Demining Force (QRDF) was designed by the U.S. Department of State to rapidly respond to landmine emergencies. Presently, its response capacity has expanded to include experts in battle area clearance (BAC) and physical security and stockpile management (PSSM). These professionals volunteer for deployments on short notice to address emergencies globally. The Department of State Quick Reaction Force (QRF), managed by the Political/Military Bureau …
Practical Notes On The Application Of Thermite Systems In Mine Action, Robert Syfret, Chris Cooper
Practical Notes On The Application Of Thermite Systems In Mine Action, Robert Syfret, Chris Cooper
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
There are numerous documents available online relating to the use of thermite systems for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). However, most of the documents are either scientifically focused or address specific technical questions. This article provides broader practical information for mine action operators at the field and program levels. Although previously employed on a relatively small scale over the last five years, use of thermite as opposed to explosives for the destruction of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) has increased. This has been driven by greater engagement across the sector in countries with unstable security situations, and places with …
Iraq: A Photo Essay, Sean Sutton
Iraq: A Photo Essay, Sean Sutton
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
MAG, Mines Advisory Group, has worked in Iraq since 1992 to make land safe for populations affected by decades of conflict. Landmines, cluster munitions, other unexploded bombs, as well as new contamination from the recent conflict with ISIS, have left a deadly legacy that prevents communities from using their land, and displaced populations from returning home safely.
The Impact Of Landmines And Explosive Remnants Of War On Food Security: The Lebanese Case, Henrique Garbino
The Impact Of Landmines And Explosive Remnants Of War On Food Security: The Lebanese Case, Henrique Garbino
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The year 2017 was the third in a row of an exceptionally high number of mine victims. According to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, in 2017 alone, 7,239 people became casualties of landmines or explosive remnants of war (ERW), of which at least 2,793 were killed.1,2 Apart from their direct physical effects, landmines and ERW also restrict access to basic resources such as food and water, limit the use of key infrastructure, and both force and restrict migration.2 This article focuses on the impact of landmines and ERW on food security, with an emphasis in food …
More Bang For Their Buck: Enhancing The Sustainability Of Surplus Ammunition Destruction Programs, Joe Farha, Matthias Krotz, Einas Osman Abdalla Mohammed
More Bang For Their Buck: Enhancing The Sustainability Of Surplus Ammunition Destruction Programs, Joe Farha, Matthias Krotz, Einas Osman Abdalla Mohammed
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Dealing with stockpiles of surplus ammunition remains a key challenge for many African countries. In the last 10 years, at least 38 ammunition sites across Africa reportedly experienced unplanned explosions, causing injury and loss of life as well as significant damage to infrastructure and the environment. Numerous reasons such as overstocking, inadequate storage facilities due to insufficient resources, inadequate capabilities of storage sites, or simply unstable ammunition may be the cause of these unplanned detonations. These factors are often exacerbated by personnel having a limited knowledge and awareness, or insufficient training on relevant subjects such as explosive compatibility groups or …
Ammunition Stockpile Management: A Global Challenge Requiring Global Responses, Nora Allgaier, Samuel Paunila
Ammunition Stockpile Management: A Global Challenge Requiring Global Responses, Nora Allgaier, Samuel Paunila
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Ageing, unstable, and excess conventional ammunition stockpiles pose the dual risk of accidental explosion at munition sites and diversion to illicit markets, thereby constituting a significant danger to public safety and security. More than half of the world’s countries have experienced an ammunition storage area explosion over the past decades, resulting in severe humanitarian and socioeconomic consequences.1 Thousands of people have been killed, injured, and displaced, and the livelihoods of entire communities have been disrupted. The humanitarian impact of unintended explosions is amplified when they occur in urban areas, as illustrated by ammunition depot explosions in a crowded area …
Key Performance Indicators And Hma: Time To Standardize?, Roly Evans, David Hewitson
Key Performance Indicators And Hma: Time To Standardize?, Roly Evans, David Hewitson
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Measuring performance is the norm across a range of human activities. But is it a norm in humanitarian mine action (HMA)? Some might suggest that it is. However, if we measure our performance, it is unclear whether we do so in a standardized way so that meaningful comparisons can be made. HMA lacks standardized indicators, whether it is for items of explosive ordnance (EO) found and destroyed, m2 of land released, or more general outcomes such as internally displaced persons returning to an area once cleared. Indicators can of course be ignored, misused, misreported, or misunderstood and some fear …
Endnotes, Cisr Journal
Endnotes, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
No abstract provided.
Landmine Free 2025: A Shared Responsibility, Camille Wallen, Chris Loughran
Landmine Free 2025: A Shared Responsibility, Camille Wallen, Chris Loughran
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Just over 20 years ago, states and civil society came together to put an end to the harm inflicted by antipersonnel mines. The result was the ground-breaking Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 1997. Better known as the Ottawa Treaty, it prohibited the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines. It also created time-bound legal obligations requiring the destruction of all stockpiles, the clearance of all mined areas, and assistance for landmine victims.
The Added Value Of Integrating Uavs Into The Hma Toolkit, Shathel Fahs, Greg Crowther
The Added Value Of Integrating Uavs Into The Hma Toolkit, Shathel Fahs, Greg Crowther
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The rapid and ongoing development of lightweight, powerful, and relatively cheap unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAV)—still commonly referred to as drones—has demonstrated their use in increasingly diverse and imaginative ways across a large number of industries and sectors. They have also captured the public imagination with the prospect of revolutionizing many aspects of how we live and work. Humanitarian mine action (HMA) has not been immune to this process, and a number of organizations have conducted research, trials, and field tests into how they can support and improve the landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) survey and clearance process.
Enhancing Humanitarian Mine Action In Angola With High-Resolution Uas Im, Inna Cruz, Luan Jaupi, Shadrack Kassanga Njamba Sequesseque, Olivier Cottray
Enhancing Humanitarian Mine Action In Angola With High-Resolution Uas Im, Inna Cruz, Luan Jaupi, Shadrack Kassanga Njamba Sequesseque, Olivier Cottray
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The peaceful use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) increases significantly when their cost and complexity are reduced. Fully autonomous, ultralight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are now commercially available. There are numerous UAS applications in humanitarian mine action (HMA), environmental research and survey, and urban infrastructure management and maintenance.
Drones Supporting Mine Clearance In Northern Sri Lanka, Oliver Gerard-Pearse
Drones Supporting Mine Clearance In Northern Sri Lanka, Oliver Gerard-Pearse
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The humanitarian mine action (HMA) community’s nascent adoption of commercial drone technology has no doubt made a positive impact within the sector. However, drones go underutilized in HMA and many opportunities as well as potential pitfalls remain. Nurturing and developing this technology to assist in an increasingly diverse and evolving industry will benefit the community greatly. However, drones have only recently drawn the public eye with considerable strides forward in developing technology that is now available and financially accessible to the general public. Popular commercial brands are appealing more to the budding photographers and video bloggers that are able to …
The Effects Of Erw Contamination In Sri Lanka, Jennifer Dathan
The Effects Of Erw Contamination In Sri Lanka, Jennifer Dathan
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Sri Lankan Civil War (July 1983–May 2009), between the government and the Tamil Tigers, was a conflict marked by the extensive use of explosive weapons. Predominantly affecting the majority-Tamil areas in the north and east (Tamil Eelam), the violence left deep scars upon the communities in these areas. The land is still heavily marked by the legacy of landmines, air-dropped bombs, and other explosive remnants of war (ERW).
Demining The Tajik-Uzbek Border: What Have We Learned From The Tajik Experience?, Henrique Garbino, Erkin Huseinov
Demining The Tajik-Uzbek Border: What Have We Learned From The Tajik Experience?, Henrique Garbino, Erkin Huseinov
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Following the recent political rapprochement between the governments of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in March 2018, a joint commission was created to investigate the minefields along the Tajik-Uzbek border and schedule their clearance. The Uzbek government first expressed the intention to remove the landmines along its borders in 2004 and later reported the start of unilateral demining operations in 2005 by the Uzbek military. Less than three years later, Uzbek demining teams had reportedly cleared 95 percent of the minefields along the Tajik border. However, this has not been verified by independent organizations, and civilians still fall victim to landmines in …
Endnotes Issue 22.3, Cisr Journal
Endnotes Issue 22.3, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
No abstract provided.
Drones And "Butterflies": A Low-Cost Uav System For Rapid Detection And Identification Of Unconventional Minefields, Timothy Desmet, Alex Nikulin, William Frazer, Jasper Baur, Jacob Abramowitz, Daniel Finan, Sean Denara, Nicholas Aglietti, Gabriel Campos
Drones And "Butterflies": A Low-Cost Uav System For Rapid Detection And Identification Of Unconventional Minefields, Timothy Desmet, Alex Nikulin, William Frazer, Jasper Baur, Jacob Abramowitz, Daniel Finan, Sean Denara, Nicholas Aglietti, Gabriel Campos
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Aerially-deployed plastic landmines in post-conflict nations present unique detection and disposal challenges. Their small size, randomized distribution during deployment, and low-metal content make these mines more difficult to identify using traditional methods of electromagnetic mine detection. Perhaps the most notorious of these mines is the Sovietera PFM-1 “butterfly mine,” widely used during the decade-long Soviet-Afghan conflict between 1979 and 1989. Predominantly used by the Soviet forces to block otherwise inaccessible mountain passages, many PFM-1 minefields remain in place due to the high associated costs of access and demining. While the total number of deployed PFM-1 mines in Afghanistan is poorly …
Opportunities For Regional Training And Information Exchange Reap Benefits For Central Asia, Paige Ober, Nazira Shozodaeva, Tahmina Akhmedova, Suzanne Fiederlein
Opportunities For Regional Training And Information Exchange Reap Benefits For Central Asia, Paige Ober, Nazira Shozodaeva, Tahmina Akhmedova, Suzanne Fiederlein
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Regional cooperation and regional partnerships are an important aspect of creating strong and sustainable humanitarian mine action programs across the globe. Challenges and opportunities endemic to a particular region are best addressed by the experience and expertise of local organizations. Facilitating ways to foster information sharing is an imperative for the success of regional security goals.
How Iraq Is Changing What We Do: Measuring Clearance In Urban Environments, Pehr Lodhammar
How Iraq Is Changing What We Do: Measuring Clearance In Urban Environments, Pehr Lodhammar
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Iraq is changing what we think, say, and do about mine action. The terms, standards, and measurements used by the humanitarian mine action (HMA) community need to be revised as Daesh remains a destabilizing influence. While the Al Maedam district of Mosul fell to Iraqi Security Forces in a ‘last battle’ on 10 July 2017, the government declared an official end to the conflict in Iraq on 10 December 2017. Whereas HMA followed the signing of the Dayton
Endnotes, Cisr Jmu
Endnotes, Cisr Jmu
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
No abstract provided.
The Hybrid Thermal Lance: A Promising New Technique For The Destruction Of Landmines And Uxo By Deflagration, Donald Pratt, Nick Torbet
The Hybrid Thermal Lance: A Promising New Technique For The Destruction Of Landmines And Uxo By Deflagration, Donald Pratt, Nick Torbet
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Explosive ordnance can be destroyed by a variety of methods. Destruction in-situ using an explosive charge is generally the preferred means; it is reliable, technically straightforward, and often the safest option. Other techniques include thermite-based tools or low-explosive powered disruptors. However, in a number of current humanitarian mine action (HMA) operating environments, clearance organizations are faced with restrictions on explosive use and/or importation of other energetic materials such as thermite. This may be due to the legitimate security concerns of mine-affected states, or legislative frameworks that do not account for non-military use of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tools. This takes …
Ppe Development And Needs In Hma, Andy Smith
Ppe Development And Needs In Hma, Andy Smith
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
As written in the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) 10.30 on personal protective equipment (PPE), “the primary means of preventing explosive injury in the workplace is by the supervised use of demining tools and processes that reduce the likelihood of an unintended detonation.” The IMAS goes on to state that PPE “should be the final protective measure after all planning, training and procedural efforts to reduce risk have been taken.” To date the “final protective measure” has been to provide PPE that is practical but that does not provide full protection.