Faced with the worrying rise in the number of improvised explosive device (IED) incidents, since 2004 defence industries, including MBDA F, in collaboration with NATO, have been looking at ways to deal with these terrorist attacks. Under contract to DGA, the French armaments agency, MBDA is working on techniques for detecting and neutralizing these devices. These include kits designed for the self-protection of vehicles already in service that could be integrated in a future system called EPEE. Short-term kit solutions for the VAB and VBL light armoured vehicles are being studied.
Anti-IED Operations
The current deployment of forces in external theatres of operation has shown that the threat posed by the use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) is both increasing and becoming more generalised in all regions of the world.
IED attacks, which are generally spectacular, effective and lethal, are aimed at disrupting the movements of deployed forces, in particular their logistics. They also place a significant burden on available resources. By having to focus so much on self-protection, the efficiency of deployed forces in carrying out their peacekeeping mission is significantly reduced.
IED actions are also used for propaganda purposes to make the international community and the local population question the very legitimacy of the intervention of the armed forces.
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