B. Global Cooperation

     International cooperation is being developed on several fronts.  Intergovernmental cooperation takes advantage of local government infrastructure and distribution channels.  For the United States, Special Operations Forces (SOF) components of theater commands, Explosive Ordnance Disposal units, civil affairs, and psychological operations units provide assistance through local governments for demining and mine awareness training programs.

     Intergovernmental cooperation is also vital in developing mine databases and equipment effectiveness analysis.  The International Test and Evaluation Program (ITEP) represents the beginning of a new type of international partnership to assess demining technology and equipment.  Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Commission's Joint Research Center embarked on a cooperative demining pilot test project.  The objective of this project is to evaluate existing commercial off-the-shelf metal detectors available for use as mine detectors that may be suitable for humanitarian demining.  In-air testing was conducted at the Defense Research Establishment Suffield (DRES), Canada shown below.

     In-soil testing was conducted at the TNO Physics and Electronics Laboratory in the Netherlands, shown below.

Guartel Detector during In-Soil Tests at TNO.

     The United Kingdom scored and analyzed the experimental data. The United States provided the tested detectors, as well as test support during data acquisition. In-field testing was conducted in Cambodia and Croatia. The tests will identify those detectors best suited for particular geographical conditions or operational environments. 

     Other areas of international cooperation in humanitarian demining technology include United States participation with the United Nations Mine Action Service, the European Community, and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining in the development of statements of requirements (SOR) for specific technologies. The United States also cooperates globally with industry, academia, commercial demining companies, international organizations, NGOs, and private volunteer organizations to develop and implement systems that meet humanitarian demining needs.

Humanitarian Demining Developmental Technologies 2000-2001

C. Demining Tools

     Demining is a slow and dangerous process. To meet the Demining 2010 Initiative, it is imperative that new tools and techniques be developed for the deminer. The Department of Defense has developed a Humanitarian Demining Technology Development Roadmap to guide the course, speed, and content of its research and development strategy. The research and development priorities focus on technologies that support five functional areas the United States believes will contribute the most to the goal of eliminating the global threat of landmines:

• Personal Protection
• Handheld Detection
• Wide-Area Detection
• Vegetation Clearance
• Mechanical Mine Clearance

     The research and development roadmap has been carefully tailored to serve international needs and synchronized with the goals and objectives of the international community of nations that have also assumed mine action responsibilities. The objective of the research and development roadmap is the timely placement of new capabilities in the deminer's hands to meet the 2010 goal established by President Clinton.

     As can be seen in the chapter Detection Equipment, the United States has completed development of a number of detection systems: the Mini Mine Detector, the Camcopter, Ground Based Quality Assurance, HIMS, VMDS, VMMD, and SAMS. Emerging technologies include frequency domain handheld mine detectors, new acoustic mine detection systems, and energy focused ground penetrating radars.

Prototype Geophex 3 
Frequency Domain Detector.

Energy Focused GPR prototype.

Brassboard Acoustic Detection System.

MgM Rotar in Namibia.

LEXFOAM^® undergoing
evaluation in Cambodia.

Mini-Flail.

     The R&D Program has teamed with DRES, the Aberdeen Test Center, Natick Research Labs, Brooke Army Medical Center Institute of Surgical Research, and the Casualty Care Research Center to address needs/requirements for deminer boot protection, tools, and protective gear.  The Individual Deminer Protection and Tools chapter covers this functional area in detail.

D. Global On-The-Ground Support

     Providing people and equipment in each mine afflicted area is important for timely and efficient humanitarian demining assistance. As briefly described before, on-the-ground assistance is provided by SOF for training local people how to recognize, detect, and clear mines. Importantly, the United States also provides technical in-country support for new research and development items that are provided for evaluation in mine-afflicted countries. This unique in-theater assistance plays a major role in accelerating the development process by insuring that lessons learned in the field are rapidly integrated into improvements of demining tools, training, and information.