Explosive Techniques Updates

[Chimo]

I have been tossing this one around in the grey matter and would like some input from members of the forum. I truly believe that as a Branch we have not significantly updated our abilities on explosive techniques in many years.

For example, the crater group is a fine technique for the red hordes but is it till relevant? We are using some "experimental" explosive entry techniques because there is a need and we have not been able to fill that gap with deliberate training, documents and purpose made explosives.  Is bridge demolition(i.e. a reserve demolition) still a valid technique, if this bridge was of such importance, surely it could be designated and taken out at the appropriate time with a laser guided bomb.

I am seeking your opinions on what explosive techniques or purpose built explosives do we need introduced or re-introduced to give us the skill and equipment to do the jobs being asked of our sappers today. 

 

[booted]

Is bridge demolition(i.e. a reserve demolition) still a valid technique, if this bridge was of such importance, surely it could be designated and taken out at the appropriate time with a laser guided bomb.

I like that one.

 

[Lager and Ale]

As the book says: 'We do the scullery work, the janitors job.  No work is beyond the sapper'.  We tend to plug along training with tactics best suited in the 50-60's, but when confronted with new ideas and methods, the corps is able to, and has stepped up and ramped up training methods to fit the requirements.  Sometimes, this is done in operations, and somewhat immediate.  Then when the method is proved to work, it filters down through the chain and ends up at CFSME. 
Currently, the school is redoing allot of TP's to include (and I hate to use this line)"lessons learned".
As far as equipment and techniques are concerned...re introduce the shaped charges from small key-hole types to the lager and stackable Hayricks.  As I'm not an EOD god, I can't speak for techniques, although, the Brits seem to be doing it right...maybe we should pattern after them....

Cheers

 

[kj_gully]

I was always a fan of  the, and pardon the spelling" Miznay chardin" effect, ie platter charges. Standoff charges to make big holes in mud walls?

 

[SprCForr]

I'm thinking keep the Res Dml Trg. The knowledge base is still applicable even though the actual employment of the technique is somewhat dated. Until the Air Force (ours) is able to conduct such precision attacks, it will fall to Sappers to ensure such a task is completed and even then given potential air threats etc, it may still require Sappers to complete it. I'd agree with the crater group assessment. Again the knowledge base can be kept but the emphasis on the Crater Group could be diminished somewhat.

Special Charges is where more emphasis could be placed. I'm assuming that the techniques and amount of training in such hasn't really changed in 10 years or so. If that is the case, then techniques, for example, like mouse-holing could be emphasized more. Back when I was a part of Mind Warfare and Domination, the majority of attention was focused on dragons teeth and the like, and mouse-holing was a technique that was taught but never actually conducted on the Live Range. It would seem to me that given the nature of construction and especially the prevalence of walls and barriers in places such as Afghanistan that that method would be effective in aiding mobility. Research on the placement and amount of explosives used would be needed given the potential for injuring innocents on the other side of such targets. Much of this type of work has already been done by JTF/SAS type groups. Maybe it's time for the chain to pry open the vault a bit. Bring back or increase the holdings of such special charges like the flexible linear shaped charge. That charge was used by EOD teams and was in fact a pain the the butt to fix to a target, so maybe the egg-heads could concentrate on making it more "soldier-proof when trying to fix it to a thick mud wall. Would such things be usable in the Sandbox?

Don't let the knowledge in how to channel and delay a conventional military force be lost. Just because we won't use the skill today or tomorrow doesn't mean we won't next week. That would be (in my view) unnecessarily shortsighted and we've seen where that attitude has come back to bite us in the ash (EOD). Just add to the knowledge and maybe change up on the priorities. The type of engagement in Afghanistan is (appropriately) where the focus should be but that isn't the only type of engagement we need to be ready for.

 

[kj_gully]

I'm with you. The Canadian Marines will need to have the ability to deny our beachheads/ Landing zones to the enemy, and obstruct the rapid reinforcement of same.

 

[FEEOP042]

No we don't need to get rid of the manual just make a new chapter. We need to have on the Demo range concrete pads and have are Area Const Tp build walls out of materials close or as the same thing that are in theatre now and any trouble spots of the future. This way we can get hands on trg with manufactured and improvised breaching explosives. We need to get the sappers hands on with it and so they can see it first hand and not just reading it from a book. We need to get them to use they're imagination that is how the Sapper wins the battles for the BG. We should never say that we will never do this and that again of Engineer Demolitions. I had said back in the early 90's after my HA crse that we needed to be more into IEDD and look at us now we are making catch up in this Qualification. I said after my AEO crse we need to have more AEV's in every Engineer Regt. Like right now if the Armour corp get new tanks IE Leopard 2 we need to buy the AEV 3 we should still buy them even if they don't get new tanks we still need a breaching veh. And not just 9 we need to have enough to have the breach assets in every Regt. Hell Norway bought 18 of the AEV's that are like the AEV 3 but on a LEO 1 Chassis. Sorry for getting of topic. We should have every CER and ESR go to the Demo range and try new techniques and then write then done and then send it to the School and come up with a chapter for the Demo pubs.



Remember that the most deadliest soldier on the battlefield is the Sapper!!!!

 

[Spr.Earl]

What we have to do is test and apply the many civie explosives and shaped charges out there and see how we can apply them to our world but in no way should we forget our doctrine
Any of you watch Discovery Channel i.e. implotion of building's,bridge's,they all run a double ring main but use civie explosives but what gets me why have we not adopted shock tube yet?
Look's like a good peice of kit ot me.
Hell of lot lighter than a roll of det cord.