Ied and Landmine Info Paper
INFORMATION PAPER
SUBJECT: Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Landmines
Purpose: To provide background information on the types of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Landmines.
Facts:
a. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
(1) The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is also known as the “Homemade Bomb” or
“roadside bomb”. It is used by terrorists and is designed to cause death or injury.
(2) An IED has five components: a switch (activator), an initiator (fuse), container
(body), charge (explosive), and a power source (battery).1
(3) IEDs fall into three categories:
(a) Package Type IED - Concealed Mortars or Artillery Projectiles are commonly thrown from overpasses, emplaced along MSRs and alternate supply routes/unimproved roads, or concealed under piles of sand, debris, trash and other common materials.2
(b) Vehicle Borne IED (VBIED) - devices that use a vehicle as the package or carries for the device. The larger the vehicle, the more explosive material that can be used, resulting in greater destruction.3
(c) Suicide Bombs - an IED in which an individual has an IED attached to the individual with the intention of committing suicide in order to kill or injure as many Soldiers as possible.4
b. Landmines
(1) A landmine is a type of explosive device that is intended to cause the destruction of equipment or personnel.
(2) A landmine typically is made up of five components: a firing mechanism, a detonator or igniter, a booster charge, a main charge and a casing, which contains all of the above items.5
(3) There are two types of Landmines:
(a) Anti-tank Mines (AT) - used to immobilize or destroy vehicles and there occupants.6
(b) Antipersonnel Mines (AP) - designed to kill or incapacitate their victims, and can damage medical resources, supply resources, and non-armored vehicles7
3. The TC 20-32-5 can
SUBJECT: Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Landmines
Purpose: To provide background information on the types of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Landmines.
Facts:
a. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
(1) The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is also known as the “Homemade Bomb” or
“roadside bomb”. It is used by terrorists and is designed to cause death or injury.
(2) An IED has five components: a switch (activator), an initiator (fuse), container
(body), charge (explosive), and a power source (battery).1
(3) IEDs fall into three categories:
(a) Package Type IED - Concealed Mortars or Artillery Projectiles are commonly thrown from overpasses, emplaced along MSRs and alternate supply routes/unimproved roads, or concealed under piles of sand, debris, trash and other common materials.2
(b) Vehicle Borne IED (VBIED) - devices that use a vehicle as the package or carries for the device. The larger the vehicle, the more explosive material that can be used, resulting in greater destruction.3
(c) Suicide Bombs - an IED in which an individual has an IED attached to the individual with the intention of committing suicide in order to kill or injure as many Soldiers as possible.4
b. Landmines
(1) A landmine is a type of explosive device that is intended to cause the destruction of equipment or personnel.
(2) A landmine typically is made up of five components: a firing mechanism, a detonator or igniter, a booster charge, a main charge and a casing, which contains all of the above items.5
(3) There are two types of Landmines:
(a) Anti-tank Mines (AT) - used to immobilize or destroy vehicles and there occupants.6
(b) Antipersonnel Mines (AP) - designed to kill or incapacitate their victims, and can damage medical resources, supply resources, and non-armored vehicles7
3. The TC 20-32-5 can