JOURNAL: The Journal of ERW and Mine Action Issue 15.3
unfortunate enough to be caught up in
Misrata. The boat was fortunately de-
the conflict. The inaccuracy and rather
tected and destroyed (and the explosives
random use of these weapons has prob-
detonated) by gunfire, but under differ-
ably had negligible tactical effect, es-
ent circumstances this water-borne IED
pecially in the early stages, but these
could have damaged or even sunk a mil-
factors will undoubtedly have contrib-
itary or commercial vessel. Although
uted to the human cost of the rebellion.
the means of initiation were never discovered, radio-signal detonation from
Weapon Types Employed
Apart from explosive-remnants-
shore was the most probable trigger mechanism for this device.
Explosives removed from a Belgian PRB-M3A1 anti-tank mine to be used in IED manufacturing.
of-war challenges normally anticipated following armed conflict, demining
Tactical Warfare Shifts
organizations in Libya will likely con-
Libya’s situation is further evidence
front improvised weapons and explo-
of the altering nature of modern con-
Afghanistan, Iraq and perhaps Yemen—
sive devices that are perhaps different
flicts and an indication of what the fu-
will undoubtedly have an effect on oper-
from accepted explosive threats within
ture holds. Conventional military might
ations. With no on-the-ground Western
the context of humanitarian-demining
is confronting increasingly asymmet-
military presence in Libya, demining or-
activity. Improvised explosive devices
ric tactics, where the ill-equipped and
ganizations will face EOD burdens and
used by both sides of the Libyan conflict
less-able force compensates for military
challenges. Skill levels and operating
are now a likely escalation as the conflict
weakness through the employment of
procedures to meet the challenge must
develops with more asymmetric tactics.
improvised weapons and IEDs—tacti-
develop in order to mitigate the cur-
Although the rebels, fighting a superior
cal weapons with strategic effect. Cer-
rent and emerging explosive threats,
enemy, may have gained more from IED
tainly in Libya both combatant elements
and the greater exposure of personnel
employment at the outset, pro-Gadhafi
have innovated as military hardware is
to IEDs, nonconventional explosive de-
forces will probably also use IEDs as
destroyed and conventional warfare tac-
vices and weaponry.
their resistance continues while resolu-
tics become less viable.
tion is sought to end the conflict, and perhaps in the aftermath.
Preparedness of Demining Organizations
With humanitarian-demining personnel deploying to destabilized countries such as Libya, mine-action operations must reflect on and mitigate against the specific threats through their training regimes and operating procedures. While planned demining activity will always be required, an increasing BMP-1 turret welded to a frame mounted on the back of a Toyota Hilux 4x4. This heavily improvised system was recorded firing the integral 73mm gun during the battle of Galaa/ Sofitt Hill, 07 June 2011.
complexity also emerges to the explo-
Even at sea, examples of asymmet-
cause greater exposure to such threats.
ric tactics were employed as in the case
Demining organizations face a challeng-
of a high-explosives-laden, rigid-hulled
ing future in Libya and elsewhere, and
boat with two mannequins on board
improvised weapons and IEDs—some of
that was used as a decoy to attack pa-
which will be devised locally while others
trolling naval vessels off the port of
will be copies from conflict areas such as
Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2011
sive-ordnance-disposal aspects of demining operations where complex tasks are encountered more frequently because of changing warfare tactics that
Adrian King is a Counter-IED Expert for Allen-Vanguard Ltd. His diverse career has spanned more than 30 years of working with explosive matters, including crisis response and demining operations in Iraq and Lebanon. King was involved in counter-IED training for NATO in Afghanistan in 2010 and is involved in a number of tasks, including the development of accredited conventional-munitions disposal and demining-training programs, and a UXO-clearance task in the Middle East. Adrian King C-IED SME Consultant Allen Vanguard Ltd. 85-88 Shrivenham Hundred Business Park Watchfield Swindon SN6 8TY / U.K. Tel: +44 (0) 1793 786350 Fax: +44 (0) 1793 786351 Email: Adrian.king@allenvanguard.comWebsite: http://allenvanguard.com
15.3 | fall 2011 | the journal of ERW and mine action | notes from the field
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