"Speed bump" IEDs continue to plague forces in Iraq
With EFPs suddenly in the limelight, it is important to keep in mind other IED threats; speed bump IEDs are simple to manufacture, easy to conceal, and require no Iranian assistance; V-shaped hulls and mine rollers among established defensive techniques, but more are needed
In an article earlier this week we reported on a new type of IED — known as explosively formed projectiles, or EFPs — being used in Iraq and suggested that business opportunities await those who could figure out how to defeat them. Our report upset a small number of readers who thought it crass of us to turn our attention so quickly from tragedy to profit. It was not our intention to offend, and for those whom we did offend, we offer an apology. Nevertheless, we continue to believe that the best way to prevent such tragedies is to encourage our technically-minded readers to develop countermeasures, and for that we feel pride, not remorse. The military spent $3.5 billion last year to defeat IEDs, and there is no doubt that more can and must be done.
We mention this as a preface to today’s report on a different type of IED known as the “speed bump,” which military officials in Iraq point to as another emerging IED threat — one that has received less attention because it does not require Iranian assistance to manufacture. In fact, it can be made from parts found in many Iraqi kitchens. Formed by sandwiching plastic explosives between metal baking trays, the speed bump earns its name from the fact that it is detonated when a vehicle rolls over it. Although technically unsophisticated, it has been effective because it can easily be disguised when deployed.
So far, the Marines have responded to the threat by placing an urgent, $9.4 million order to buy additional Buffalo and Cougar combat vehicles from South Carolina-based Force Protection, both of which sport V-shaped hulls that deflect the upward blast. In addition, the Marines have also spent $14 million on mine rollers to take the lead in convoys. Yet more needs to be done, and so we offer the same advice we provided regarding the EFPs: opportunities continue to await companies that can protect American troops from IEDs. As the United States looks poised to stay in Iraq for years to come, this is one market that we are sad to say is on the upswing.
-read more in Tom Vanden Brook’s USA Today report
