Rollers designed to destroy mines and IEDs are mounted in front of wheeled vehicles, and are designed to detonate hidden and buried explosives before the vehicle itself passes over them. The idea is to blow up the explosives before they can do damage to the vehicle or to military personnel nearby.
Anti-mine rollers have been used on main battle tanks, other armored combat vehicles, and remotely operated vehicles for many years. JIEDDO officials are seeking to mount rollers to an unmanned ground vehicle to enhance safety to the vehicle operator and others in the vicinity.
The JIEDDO, headquartered in Washington, is in place to develop and deploy counter-IED technologies and capabilities rapidly to protect U.S. and allied warfighters in Iraq, Afghanistan, and anywhere else troops are deployed.
On its latest contract, General Dynamics Robotics will do the work in Westminster, Md., and Afghanistan, and should be finished by March 2012. For more information contact General Dynamics Robotics online at www.gdrs.com, or the JIEDDO at www.jieddo.dod.mil.
