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Cambodia
Field Evaluations

Cambodia is affected by landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) left by 30 years of conflict that ended in the 1990s. The "Landmine Monitor and Cluster Munitions Monitor" reports that clearance of Cambodia’s anti-personnel mines has been challenged by “un-demarcated border areas, inaccessible areas, and competing development priorities and demands, among other factors.” The antipersonnel mine problem is concentrated in, but not limited to, 21 districts of northwestern Cambodia along the border with Thailand. Contamination includes the 1,046km-long K5 mine belt installed by the Vietnamese-backed government in the mid-1980s to block insurgent infiltration. This constitutes Cambodia`s densest contamination with reportedly up to 2,400 mines per linear kilometer. Unexploded cluster munitions are concentrated in the Eastern provinces of the country, generally aligned with the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Despite assistance from the United States and other donors, Cambodia announced on January 28, 2020 that casualties from landmines and UXO actually increased by 35 percent from 2018 to 2019. Casualties are occurring primarily in the border provinces due to demand for agricultural resources. In addition, economic need drives dangerous recycling of UXO for its scrap metal value. Nineteen US Humanitarian Demining Research and Development (HD R&D) Program technologies are currently undergoing operational field evaluations in Cambodia. Together they have cleared 36,382,846 square meters (8,990 acres) and 709,886 cubic meters (23,069,388 cubic feet) of land. Total mines and UXO cleared amount to 44,099 as of December 2020.

Sources: To Walk the Earth in Safety, 2023
Landmine Monitor Report, 2020

STORM

STORM

The Severe Terrain Off-Road Menzi Muck, or STORM, is a commercial excavator designed to remove vegetation in rough and steep terrain. Its four spider-like legs allow the excavator to work on slopes of up to 70 degrees and maneuver around obstacles with ease. Dual hydraulic pumps enable it to use a wide variety of commercial attachments, including a unique cutting head that can cut trees up to 20 centimeters in diameter. Additionally, the system`s hydraulic lines are designed to shut off flow to the ruptured circuit in the event of a mine blast. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: The HALO Trust - Afghanistan, Cambodia (2009-2015)

 

BADGER

BADGER

Badger, an intermediate area preparation system, is a medium-class 13-ton excavator that can cut vegetation, dig and process contaminated soil, and prepare suspect area for demining operations using a suite of commercial excavator tools. The tools currently available include: soil sifter, brush cutters, grinding drums, grapples and digging buckets. Badger’s reach-in capability allows the machine to travel in cleared areas and operate tools inside suspect area, while its armored cab protects the operator. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: Mines Advisory Group - Cambodia; Golden West Humanitarian Foundation - Guadalcanal (2012-2019)

 

MINI MINEWOLF

MINI MINEWOLF

The Mini MineWolf (MMW) is an armored, remote controlled mine clearing system using tiller and flail attachments. The tiller`s teeth engage the ground to a depth of 25 centimeters, physically destroying anti-personnel (AP) and anti-tank (AT) landmines, and mulching vegetation up to 15 centimeters in diameter. With either attachment, the MMW can survive both AT and AP mine blasts. Clearance rates of 5,000 - 12,000 square meters per day can be expected depending on soil and vegetation type. Operation is by remote control with video monitoring. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: Mines Advisory Group (MAG) - Cambodia; Thailand Mine Action Center; Tajikistan Army (2010-2011)

 

REX

REX

Remote controlled excavators are sometimes required when it is too dangerous for manual operation. The Rex is a versatile, light weight (8 ton class) armored excavator designed to clear vegetation, obstacles, and mechanically remove and neutralize anti-personnel (AP) landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The HD R&D Program developed and integrated two important modifications to the commercial Terex TC75 excavator to create the Rex. These are the addition of remote control capability, and armor protection for the operator when the system is manually operated. Small platform based system advantages are lightweight, versatile and fuel efficient. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: Mines Advisory Group - Angola, Cambodia (2011-2014), Sri Lanka; The HALO Trust - Sri Lanka

 

Multi-tool Attachments

Multi-tool Attachments

The Humanitarian Demining Research and Development (HD R&D) Program has developed a wide variety of excavator and loader based tools for mechanical mine clearance. These attachments give deminers the capability to perform area preparation, technical survey and mine clearance from a safe area. Tools that have proven useful include vegetation cutters, grapples, tillers, and buckets for sifting, grinding, and crushing. The HD R&D Program has modified several small, medium and large class excavators with armor protection and the interfaces needed to use these tools in various demining environments. Operational Field Evaluations (OFE) can be performed with HD R&D Program developed excavators or loaders, or with just the tools mounted to the demining organization`s own host equipment. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: Mines Advisory Group; Golden West Humanitarian Foundation; The HALO Trust

 

Long Handle Tools

Long Handle Tools

Long handled power tools increase the manual deminers speed, efficiency, and safety. To date, operational field evaluations have taken place in Cambodia, Ecuador and Angola. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: The HALO Trust - Cambodia; Mines Advisory Group - Cambodia; Ecuadorian Army - Ecuador (2009-2012)

 

Scorpion

Scorpion

Scorpion is a man-portable unexploded ordnance (UXO) detection system that utilizes a one meter wide electro-magnetic induction (EMI) sensor and a total field magnetometer to detect buried UXO objects in an overpass mode. The system uses differential global positioning system (DGPS) to provide centimeter accuracy of target locations and mapping capability. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: Golden West Humanitarian Foundation - Cambodia 2012; Mines Advisory Group - Cambodia; Norwegian People`s Aid - Vietnam, The HALO Trust - Afghanistan, Kosovo

 

HSTAMIDS

HSTAMIDS

The Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS) is the U.S. Army`s AN/PSS-14 dual sensor, handheld mine detector that combines an electromagnetic induction sensor and ground penetrating radar (GPR) to detect landmines. The addition of the GPR significantly reduces the detector`s false alarm rate and the time the operator spends investigating clutter, increasing the operator`s speed and effectiveness. The HD R&D program also developed the HSTAMIDS F3S variant which incorporates a more sensitive metal detector to improve performance against deeply buried low metal anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: The Halo Trust in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mozambique (2012-2014), Kosovo,Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe; Mines Advisory Group in Angloa and Cambodia; Cambodia Mine Action Centre (2009-2010); Norwegian Peoples Aid in Zimbabwe (2014-2016)

 

Minehound

Minehound

Minehound is a commercially available dual sensor handheld detector that uses ground penetrating radar (GPR) and metal detection technology to locate landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive devices (IED). The GPR can be operated independently which gives Minehound the ability to detect deeper buried, low metallic threats. The GPR audio tone provides information on the size and depth of the object it detects. Twenty frequencies are available to the metal detection sub-system, which allows the Minehound to be operated in close proximity to other detectors and near power lines without causing or being subject to interference. The metal detector also compensates for water and mineralized soil without reducing sensitivity. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: The HALO Trust - Afghanistan, Angola (2012-2015), Cambodia (2012-2017); MAG - Iraq (Mar-Oct 2017)

 

Target Reacquisition Positioning System (TRPS)

Target Reacquisition Positioning System (TRPS)

The Target Reacquisition Positioning System (TRPS) is a dual-purpose, target reacquisition and survey tool. TRPS is a lightweight, low-cost and highly accurate system that simplifies the use of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) for reacquiring ground target positions previously identified UXO detection systems. TRPS is also a surveying tool that provides the ability to quickly survey boundaries, locations of items found, or mark other points of interest with centimeter level accuracy. The Minefield Management Tool provides real-time data logging capabilities for demining managers. Modules provide mapping, survey, equipment, target/data, incident and personnel management capabilities. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: The HALO Trust - Angola (2012-2015), West Bank; Mines Advisory Group - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia

 

Bearcat

Bearcat

The Bearcat is a remote controlled, skid-steer chassis integrated with a vegetation cutter and a remote monitoring system for operation in suspect mine and UXO contaminated areas. Bearcat utilizes a completely commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), plug-and-play, remote control system, and is designed for a wide range of area preparation tasks. The system allows demining and battle area clearance teams to quickly and efficiently remove vegetation for follow-on manual clearance teams. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: Mines Advisory Group - Cambodia; The HALO Trust - Colombia; Norwegian People`s Aid - Vietnam

 

TRAXX

TRAXX

Traxx is an extremely compact, remote controlled vehicle capable of working in and around slopes of up to 60 degrees. It is equipped with a variety of commercial vegetation cutting implements and custom designed mine clearing tools. At less than 1.3 tons Traxx is easily transported to remote sites and capable of climbing and working on the most challenging hillsides. The factory equipped remote control has a working range of more than 300 meters and the 1.3 meter brush cutting attachments has demonstrated excellent capability for cutting saplings and heavy brush with little residual debris. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release

PARTNERS: Mines Advisory Group - Cambodia; The HALO Trust - Cambodia, Ukraine

 

Medium MineWolf

Medium MineWolf

The Medium MineWolf is a powerful remote control or manually operated mine clearing system that uses large earth tilling and flail attachments to neutralize landmines. The tiller’s teeth engage the ground to a depth of 25 centimeters, physically destroying anti-personnel (AP) and anti-tank (AT) landmines, and mulching vegetation up to 15 centimeters in diameter. The Medium MineWolf can survive both AP & AT mine blasts. Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release.

PARTNERS: Thailand Mine Action Center (2015-2019) Cambodia Mine Action Centre

 

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