US Army And Air Force Will Use Lasers To Clear Landmines

IEDs are extremely dangerous and chances are you have read stories of how old IEDs planted in previous wars are still exploding around the world, killing and maiming innocent people who might have accidentally stumbled across them. In fact even when sending in a trained professional to clear these mines, they can still be very dangerous.

This is why both the US army and the air force have recently come together and created lasers mounted on trucks that will be able to disable/destroy those mines from a distance, thus keeping the service men and women safe while traveling between locations. Dubbed the Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordinance (RADBO), these lasers will be mounted on top of MRAP battle trucks with a dexterous arm that can be manipulated and moved around.

The range of the laser is pretty long as it will be able to take out IEDs from as far as 300 meters away. The arm can also be used to remove pieces of the disabled bomb and can lift as heavy as 50 pounds at a time. According to Marshall “Doc” Dutton, Air Force EOD modernization program manager of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, he believes this will increase the speed and efficiency of clearing landmines.

In a statement given by Dutton, “Currently, if a runway gets hit it can take days to weeks to get cleared. With the RADBO, runways can be cleared and operational at a much quicker pace.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: Military
Tags: guns, us army, usaf