The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 8th May 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Improve Technology to Detect IEDs

Why in news ? 

Ten jawans and a civilian driver, who were returning in a van following an anti-Maoist operation, were killed in a blast caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada on April 26. The IED was planted beneath a metalled road. The was so forceful, it created a huge crater on the road.

Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)

• An IED is a type of unconventional explosive weapon that can take any form and be activated in a variety of ways. They are among the world’s oldest types of weapons.
• An IED is a bomb fabricated in an improvised manner incorporating destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals and designed to destroy or incapacitate personnel or vehicles.
• IEDs are triggered by various methods, including remote control, infrared or magnetic triggers, pressure-sensitive bars or trip wires (victim-operated).
• In some cases, multiple IEDs are wired together in a daisy chain to attack a convoy of vehicles spread out along a roadway.

 Vehicle-Borne  IED

• A vehicle-borne IED, or VBIED, is a military term for a car bomb or truck bomb but can be any type of transportation such as a bicycle, motorcycle, donkey, etc.
• They can also be detonated from a remote location. VBIEDs can create additional shrapnel through the destruction of the vehicle itself and use vehicle fuel as an incendiary weapon.
• The act of a person’s being in this vehicle and detonating it is known as an SVBIED suicide.

Components of IED

• An IED has five components: a switch (activator), an initiator (fuse), container (body), charge (explosive), and a power source (battery).
• IEDs are extremely diverse in design and may contain many types of initiators, detonators, penetrators, and explosive loads.

Types

Chemical
A device incorporating the toxic attributes of chemical materials designed to result in:

• Patho-physiological toxic effect (morbidity and mortality)
• Psychological effect (causing fear and behavior modification) on a larger population.

Biological

• A device incorporating biological materials designed to result in the dispersal of vector borne biological material for the purpose of creating a primary patho-physiological toxic effect (morbidity and mortality), or secondary psychological effect (causing fear and behavior modification) on a larger population.
• Incendiary
  A device making use of exothermic chemical reactions designed to result in the rapid spread of fire for the purpose of creating a primary patho-physiological effect (morbidity and mortality), or secondary psychological effect (causing fear and behavior modification) on a larger population.

Radiological

• A speculative device incorporating radioactive materials designed to result in the dispersal of radioactive material for the purpose of area denial and economic damage.
• It is also known as Radiological Dispersion Device or dirty bomb.

Nuclear

• Improvised nuclear device of most likely gun-type or implosion-type.
• Nanotechnology can theoretically be used to develop miniaturised laser-triggered pure fusion weapon that will be easier to produce than conventional nuclear weapons and could be used in terrorist attacks.

Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) Action Plan

• In 2010, NATO developed a C-IED Action Plan with three main focus areas: defeating the device (DtD) itself, attacking the network (AtN) and preparing the forces (PtF).
• Neutralisation of IED may be the most visible part of the C-IED effort.
• The C-IED Action Plan guides the Alliance’s efforts to reduce the effects of IEDs and acts as an umbrella for the coordination of the various actors involved in C-IED. It covers all levels of C-IED, from the strategic to the tactical.
• C-IED work is not just about detection and neutralisation, but also about addressing the networks behind the IEDs. In line with this, NATO utilises both military and civilian means in the fight against IEDs.