Aug 10
24
Although this is not our area of expertise I found this news release fascinating. What caught my interest was that ground penetrating radar technology (GPR), which we use every day for geophysical surveys, to locate utilities underground, for concrete imaging, cemetery mapping and also forensic locating, is now being used to locate Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in Afghanistan.
These IEDs have claimed thousands of lives of U.S. and Canadian soldiers and destroyed millions of dollars worth of military ground vehicles. On August 5th soldiers were trained on how to operate the Husky-Mounted Detection System. The training included locating metallic and non-metallic IEDs and mines similar to real route clearance missions that they will experience in the field.
This Husky vehicle is mounted with 4 large ground penetrating radar panels, computer and monitor. These heavily armored Husky vehicles were previously mounted with metal detectors. Now the new GPR system provides the operator 2D & 3D views of objects buried in the ground. Instead of just listening for a beep from the metal detectors the operator can actually see it in the ground.
Various ground penetrating radar systems have been utilized successfully on missions for route clearance since 2008. However, none as advanced as this. The course instructor said their current plan is to have nearly 200 of these Million Dollar GPR systems in operation in Afghanistan by May 2011.
Some may questions the Million Dollar price tag. But how do you put a price on saving lives!