EDA launches new C-IED projects

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched three new projects within its Improvised Explosive Devices Detection (IEDDET) programme, the agency announced on 19 April.

The main objective of the IEDDET programme is to develop and demonstrate multi-sensor detection systems for countering IED to support the development of improved route clearance capabilities for the contributing nations - Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway and Poland.

Each of the three new projects covers different phases of route clearance operations including early warning, stand-off detection and confirmation and identification.

The first project, Vehicle Mounted Early Warning of Indirect Indicators of IEDs, aims to detect indirect indicators of IED's by using forward looking camera systems. The project will develop, test and demonstrate unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) based early warning and multi-sensor optical systems for the detection of IED indicators. This project will be led by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research.

The second project, UGV stand-off multi-sensor platform for IED component detection, will see the development of new UGV stand-off capabilities for the detection of IED components through remotely operated multi-sensory platforms. It will be coordinated by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment.

The main objectives of the third project, Confirmation, Identification and Airborne Early Warning of IEDs, is to focus on confirmation and the identification of relevant IEDs components such as electronic parts, explosives and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear payloads, and provide complementary early warning capabilities. The demonstrators will be based on remotely operated platforms: robot and the Camcopter S-100 UAS. The UAS will be used for airborne early warning. This project will be led by the Armament and Defence Technology Agency.