Newswise — From an esoteric discipline forged in the devastation of the London Blitz, bomb disposal--technically known as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD)--has developed into a high-tech endeavor in the streets and villages of Iraq and Afghanistan. The reason is the improvised explosive device, or IED, which calls for fundamentally new techniques and tactics. Today, EOD technicians travel the roads in specially-built, million-dollar armored vehicles and use sophisticated robots to disarm and destroy IEDs.
IEEE Spectrum executive editor Glenn Zorpette based his article on a monthlong tour in Iraq, during which time he interviewed top military officials and EOD specialists. He was embedded with several different EOD teams, and participated in two missions to find and destroy IEDs. During the second mission, described at length in the story, he helped destroy an IED found on the highway north of Tikrit.
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