Land Forces Academy Review Vol. XXV, No. 4(100), 2020 HISTORY OF DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICES 2. (1951 TO THE PRESENT) Tibor HORVÁTH National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary [email protected] József Zsolt SZATAI National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary [email protected] ABSTRACT This study presents the history of explosive devices and that of their detection. With the invention of explosive devices and their subsequent use, the methods of warfare changed significantly. New procedures emerged that were already unthinkable to implement without the use of such tools. In parallel with the emergence of explosive devices with increasing destructive power, the need to deactivate them also came to the fore. Opposing parties made increasing efforts to detect, deactivate, and destroy explosive devices. After the completion of military operations, the detection of explosive devices did not lose its importance, and developed into an essential mission, since the areas had to be cleared of devices left over from the military actions and posing a murderous danger. KEYWORDS: explosive device, mine, minefield, detection, deactivation 1. Introduction daily life. In such a different security Mines and other explosive devices – environment, the detection of explosive including ammunition, explosive devices, devices took a different approach. In most military equipment, other explosive cases, detection no longer plays a role remnants of war, and improvised explosive solely as part of support to military mobility devices – present a threat all over the world or at the demining of certain areas, but it during and after military operations. also has preventive purposes, such as During the history of the 20th century, protecting facilities or securing events or the amount and variety of explosives in use very important persons, in order to prevent reached unprecedented proportions. Since the occurrence of a probable act of terror the second half of the twentieth century, the (Szatai, 2019). use of explosive devices has undergone tremendous development, and the most 2. During the Cold War modern technical devices can be found The Cold War period was among the tools of both their use and characterized by the constant rivalry of defence against them. In recent decades it opposing parties, which included an arms has been an important change that the threat race as well. The competition was both posed by explosive devices has no longer technological and tactical. This led to many been limited only to military conflicts, but new scientific discoveries and inventions, through terrorism, it has become part of which resulted in the development of DOI: 10.2478/raft-2020-0035 © 2017. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License. 290 increasingly sophisticated combat assets on commissioned in all member states of the both sides, and in the simultaneous Warsaw Pact, therefore the Hungarian emergence of means of defence against them People's Army also had a large number of on the other side. Examples include it. It is remarkable that the upgraded IMP-2 intercontinental ballistic missiles and the mine detector is still in use in many anti-missile systems, or increasingly countries. Later, as an alternative to the advanced mines and mine detection devices. IMP, another mine detector was developed. As a result of long research Its name was abbreviated PBM, and its processes and experiments, the IMP operating principle was completely (IMP: ɂɆɉ, ɂɧɞɭɤɰɢɨɧɧɵɣ Ɇɢɧɨɢɫɤɚɬɟɥɶ different from those of the predecessors. ɉɟɪɟɧɨɫɧɨɣ Ru, Portable Induction Mine The new device had a portable, radio-wave- Detector En) mine detector was created in based sensor that allowed for detecting anti- the Soviet Union and its mass production personnel and anti-tank mines under any began by the Tomsk Research Institute in surface or soil composition. Experiments to 1969. The device perfectly met the develop mine detectors often resulted in requirements of military use: it was unusual solutions. An example is the DIM extremely simple and reliable, and could (DIM, ȾɂɆ, Ⱦɨɪɨɠɧɵɣ ɂɧɞɭɤɰɢɨɧɧɵɣ function from a variety of power sources. Ɇɢɧɨɢɫɤɚɬɟɥɶ RU, Road Induction Mine The IMP device became popular very soon, Detection Unit EN). Road Induction Mine especially because it’s tuning was Detection Unit, commissioned in the Soviet automatic, which means the detector did not Union in 1969, which was usually mounted require constant tuning, so even the initial on a conventional off-road vehicle, but a tuning of a new device was sufficient variant mounted on an infantry fighting throughout its “life cycle”. The device was vehicle was also in use. Figure no. 1: Induction mine detection unit mounted on a BRDM-2 combat vehicle (Source: https://www.mycity-military.com/slika.php?slika=192952_16247 7311_DIM%20na%20BRDM2.jpg) The 1960s saw not only the beginning mine planters, which replaced the of the mechanization of mine detection but previously used simple mine laying slides. also the development of mine laying The latter device was already capable of vehicles. It was the Soviet developers who arming the mines and installing them either developed the PMR-2 and PMR-3 towed on the surface or underground at a pre-set 291 distance between 4.0 and 5.5 m (Lukacs, harmless.” (Act CXXXIII, Article 2, 2002). Similar devices were developed also Paragraph 4, 1997). in other countries around the world. During Such a change in the use of explosive this period, the two great powers often sold devices led also to a change in the methods weapons to a third country or supported of detecting them and in the procedures for opposing groups in certain countries in the protection against them. Classical mine order to test the effectiveness of their detection was complemented with a weapon systems and use the lessons learned complex system of countermeasures for their further development. A good designed to reduce Viet Cong’s ability to example of this is the Vietnam War deploy explosive devices and to make between 1955 and 1975. existing devices easier to detect, thus The Vietnam War created a reducing losses. As a matter of principle, it fundamentally new environment for the use was established that the best protection and detection of explosive devices. New against explosive devices is a well-trained procedures emerged which changed the and vigilant soldier. This approach laid nature of warfare. The fighting took place entirely new foundations for the detection on a battlefield without a frontline and was of explosive devices, it no longer appeared characterized by asymmetry. Procedures to be solely one of the tasks of the previously used effectively against the engineering troops but became the task of French colonial army during the Indochina every Marine, to a certain extent, of course. War (1946-1954) were re-introduced and Individual training included knowledge that further developed by the Viet Cong. enabled soldiers to recognize signs of the The guerrillas did not install coherent installation of mines and booby traps in the minefields to seal off areas, but instead they field, which led to the introduction of a set used smaller amounts of mines or booby of new conduct that could be applied to traps, which were planted on the main reduce losses. Such were the compulsory routes of U.S. troops. In the first months of use of helmets and vests, keeping more the war, 65-7 5% of the losses of the U.S. distance or separation between members of Marine Corps were caused by such mines a foot patrol, or the reinforcement of and booby traps (FMFRP 13-43, 1989). vehicles’ armour protection with sandbags. Booby traps comprise a special A prohibition on the collection of explosive system made in an improvised memorabilia was introduced as a basic rule. way. The main purpose of their deployment After all, the main aspects of installing is to generate insecurity and fear in the booby traps were arousing curiosity, visual enemy and in certain groups of society. stimulation, and the “lure principle”, The use of such explosive devices, unlike meaning that any memorabilia or seemingly explosive devices made by terrorist left-behind device could be a booby trap. organizations, is not directed against a The other main direction in the fight against specific person, but rather against members explosive devices was the detection of of groups (Mueller, 1995). They are usually potential installation forces and thus their fitted with a pull or pressure-release fuse, prevention from installing explosive and are produced from standard military devices. This task was rather difficult as the equipment or home-made consumables. insurgents were at ease with moving in the “A booby trap is constructed and jungle. For mine detection purposes, U.S. assembled to cause death, injury, or troops intensified the patrolling and damage when unexpectedly actuated by a surveillance of local villages, used portable person engaged in an activity with an motion-sensing ground radars, and in many object that seems to be obviously cases they also relied on local informants. 292 Operations in already difficult terrains passage through the area. In addition to the were hampered by the fact that the insurgents prodder, rake, and grappling hooks used for favoured the use of trip-wire actuated manual demining, and induction mine explosive devices, which were quite difficult detectors were also used for the task. to detect in the tall undergrowth. Dogs were In addition to the AN/PRS-3 induction used to facilitate this activity. Search dogs mine detector, the AN/PRS-4 device was detected explosive devices, and in many cases also in use. However, both models had the they signalled also when smelling the odour same shortcomings. In many cases, they traces left by the planter or the trip wire. also indicated insignificant amounts of The effectiveness of the dogs’ use is indicated metallic contamination, which could be a by the fact that only 6 % of mine detecting fragment, shrapnel or even a cover of a dogs lost on the battlefield got killed due to signal flare, moreover, the devices also the explosion of a mine or booby trap.