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What's New in ITEP
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Total number of news items: 253
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| July 2010 | | APOPO-PARADIS project final report | The PARADIS (a Prototype for Assisting Rational Activities in Demining using Images from Satellites) software was developed by the Signal and Image Center (SIC) of the Royal Military Academy (RMA) in Belgium as an information system dedicated to Mine Action. It was originally developed to support the demining activities of the Belgian Bomb Disposal Service (DOVO) and later adapted for evaluation by APOPO to assess its potential to manage APOPO’s mine detection work using rats in Mozambique.
Development trials were carried out during the period 2005-2008 and the final system was installed at the end of October 2008 at the APOPO premises in Mozambique. Notwithstanding promising field tests the adapted PARADIS system showed several weaknesses which prevented APOPO from using it operationally.
The final report includes a description of the system, together with a summary of its strengths and weaknesses. | | contact: Sebastien Delhay | | More info... |
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| June 2010 | | Soil characterization data in support of the 2009 ITEP dual-sensor trial | The ITEP dual-sensor detector trial took place in September – October 2009 (ITEP Project 2.4.2.13) at a purpose-built landmine detection test facility located at the premises of the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Protective and Special Technologies in Oberjettenberg (WTD 52), Germany (ITEP project 7.2.13). To document the test conditions the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) carried out a pedological and geophysical investigation of the test lane soils. The aim of the investigation was to describe the similarities and differences of the test lanes and to quantify soil parameters that have an effect on the performance of the detection techniques tested. A wide range of soil physical parameters were considered: soil magnetic properties (influencing metal detectors) and soil electric and dielectric properties (affecting Ground Penetrating Radar detection systems). In order to complete the investigation the dielectric properties of some of the used test targets were also analyzed.
The entire soil characterization work is described in the report referenced in the below link. Summary information on the test lane soil properties can be found in a 2010 Humanitarian Demining Symposium article. The latter article also documents the relation between the soil parameters and the detector performances obtained in the 2009 ITEP dual-sensor trial (metal detector as well as dual-sensor detector). | | contact: Holger Preetz | | More info... |
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| June 2010 | | Oracle II tiller trial at SWEDEC | During the first half of May 2010 the Countermine plc Oracle II tiller was tested at the SWEDEC test facility for mechanical demining equipment (Norra Kulla). Performance testing in three different soil types and survivability tests of the standard tiller tool were carried out according to the CWA 15044:2009 test guidelines. The test report is under development and will be available at the end of June 2010.
Currently, preparations are taking place at the same test site to evaluate the DOK-ING MV4 tiller. The latter evaluation will be conducted from the 14th to the 18th of June 2010 and will be limited to a CWA 15044 performance trial. The tiller survivability has already been tested in May 2009 (ITEP Project 3.2.48). | | contact: Patrik Blomander | | More info... |
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| April 2010 | | ITEP equipment database update | | The GICHD 2010 Mechanical Demining Equipment Catalogue which was published earlier this year has now also been implemented in the ITEP equipment database. The latter provides a search using the equipment list of the GICHD Mechanical Demining Equipment catalogue as input. For each item selected, the user is presented with a summary of publicly available test and evaluation information, as well as links to other sites and documents which can provide additional information on the selected equipment. A direct link to the equipment description in the GICHD 2010 catalogue is now also available. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| April 2010 | | The draft ITEP Work Plan 2010 is now available | The 2010 ITEP Work Plan reflects the ongoing and planned test and evaluation activities of all ITEP Participants for 2010. In view of the end of the ITEP program in July 2010 very few new projects were submitted. The Work Plan contains a total of 25 technical activities of which most will finish this year. Of the four new activities planned, three are mechanical demining equipment trials. The 2010 ITEP Work Plan is complemented by the ITEP Work Plan 2000-2009, which summarizes all test and evaluation activities by the ITEP Participants since the creation of ITEP and completed at the end of 2009. Each project description includes conclusions and links to the relevant test reports.
Some of the current ITEP Participants will stop all T&E activities in the area of humanitarian demining while others, such as Sweden and the United States, will continue their national T&E programs after July 2010. More details on their future activities will be made available at the end of the ITEP program. A document compiling all activities which have been carried out under the ITEP banner will be released at the end of August 2010, together with the final program report. The ITEP Work Plan database and other ITEP website features will remain accessible via the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) Clearance and Technology webpage. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| April 2010 | | Publication of the updated CWA 15044 | The CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004) was published in July 2004 after 4 technical CEN workshops held during the period September 2003 – April 2004 (ITEP Project 3.1.5). It was then used in all subsequent trials of mechanical demining equipment carried out under the ITEP banner. According to CEN Workshop procedures, a published CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) requires a review after a period of 3 years. The ITEP Working Group on Test and Evaluation of Mechanical Assistance clearance Equipment (ITEP WGMAE), in consultation with the GICHD, decided that an update of the CWA 15044:2004 would be opportune, taking into account progress in machine development and lessons learned collected during several years of ITEP trials (ITEP Project 3.1.6).
The updated version of the CWA 15044:2004, agreed upon by the ITEP WGMAE and GICHD, was submitted to the CEN Secretariat at the beginning of April 2009. It was circulated in May 2009 by CEN to the members of the original Workshop who drafted the 2004 version. The updated version (CWA 15044:2009) was endorsed and republished by CEN in December 2009. It is now available at the ITEP website and will also be made accessible on the UNMAS and GICHD websites as soon as the transfer of all CEN Workshop Agreements related to Humanitarian Mine Action from CEN to the UNMAS/GICHD has been formalized. | | contact: Franciska Borry | | More info... |
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| April 2010 | | Trial with a permanent magnet attached to a flail | A trial was carried out with a permanent magnet attached to the back of a Bozena-5 flail (video 1) by the GICHD in cooperation with ANAMA and ITEP. The trial, which took place in the Azerbaijani Fisuli region during the period February – March 2010, consisted of an operational field evaluation in mined areas. The main objective of the trial was to assess how a magnet can be used to collect metal pieces in a hazardous area in order to reduce the time spent on metal elimination during manual follow-on of flailed mine suspected areas and to collect information through analysis of the metal fragments during technical survey. Furthermore, additional tests were completed in test lanes adjacent to the operational area in order to better understand the results obtained in the operational trial.
Wet weather conditions throughout the trial period combined with the particular soil conditions of the trial area meant that the conditions were not optimal to assess the magnet’s potential to pick up metal fragments. A continuation of the operational trial is envisaged when soil conditions are dry. Furthermore, the planned manual follow-up of the processed areas will allow to better judge the percentage of metal fragments collected by the magnet. | | contact: Pehr Lodhammar, GICHD Mechanical Project Officer | | More info... |
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| March 2010 | | Canadian face protection trial: update | Canada initiated a trial in November 2009 with as main objectives to determine the appropriate TNT-equivalent for 240 g TNT to be used in face protection blast testing as well as to establish the blast performance of some of the operationally used face protection systems (see news item September 2009).
Tests are being performed outside in a heated, enclosed concrete structure. The first test series was carried out without the Hybrid III mannequin to establish baseline pressures at the nose for a range of charges buried in sand (PMN mine, 200 g C4, 200 g TNT and 240 g TNT). In a second test series some of the available visors were tested using 200 g TNT charges. However, there is some concern on whether complete detonation of the TNT pucks was achieved. Free-field testing is therefore being planned to further investigate the detonation of the TNT pucks. The trial with the mannequin and visors/face protection systems is scheduled to resume as soon as the issue with regard to achieving proper detonation is resolved. Final results are expected by June 2010. | | contact: Chris Weickert | | More info... |
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| January 2010 | | The results of the visor heat treatment trial have now been published | During January-March 2008 Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC Suffield) conducted a trial in order to be able to assess if the visor scratch repair method using heat treatment, as explained in the Journal of Mine Action (JMA) article Visor Scratch Repair and Prevention (JMA, Issue 10.2, Winter 2006) would make visors brittle. The trial objective was to assess the blast and ballistic performance of deminer visors before and after heat treatment (ITEP Project 5.2.4).
The full trial report has not been released yet, but an article in the last issue of the Journal of Mine Action (Issue 13.3, Winter 2009) summarizes the trial and the obtained results. The conclusion is that the heat treatment procedure described in JMA Issue 10.2 article is not safe to use to repair face protection systems and hence is not recommended.
The trial has further shown that there is a problem with the TNT equivalent amount specified in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (CWA 15756) when plastic explosive or an explosive other than TNT is used to test Personal Protective Equipment. This finding led to the withdrawal of the CWA 15756 and a new DRDC Suffield trial in Autumn 2009 in order to clarify the TNT-equivalent for 240 g TNT to be used in face protection blast testing for humanitarian demining (ITEP Project 5.1.3) | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| December 2009 | | ITEP website survey | | During December 2009 and January 2010 the ITEP Secretariat is collecting data on the use of the ITEP website. The objectives of this ITEP website survey are to better establish who the users of the ITEP website are and which information accessible via the ITEP website is considered important and useful. The survey results will be used in the assessment of the ITEP program and to help determine the future of the ITEP website at the end of ITEP in July 2010. We would therefore greatly appreciate if you could find some time to complete the survey form ! | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| November 2009 | | Aerial vehicle mounted threat sensor package project: status | | During 2009 the Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) started the ARGUS project, which will further develop and trial an aerial sensor suite with corresponding algorithms for Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and landmine detection. The project builds on the American BuckEye system which utilises aerial imaging combined with high resolution geospatial mapping technologies to locate IEDs based on change detection.
The ARGUS sensor suite will be carried by the DRDC APHID Autonomous Rotorcraft, and will be used primarily to survey routes and areas for the presence of mines and IEDs. Flight trials are expected to be carried out in spring 2010.
| | contact: Stephen Bogner | | More info... |
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| October 2009 | | ITEP program: status | The ITEP was established in July 2000 with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in vigour for a period of 10 years. The ITEP program is therefore coming to an end in July 2010. Although extension would have been legally possible, it has been agreed by the current ITEP members that the number of test and evaluation (T&E) activities in the different ITEP nations have decreased to such an extent that a program extension cannot be justified.
Although the number of ITEP activities during 2009 was limited, some of the initiated trials had long been required such as the dual-sensor trial carried out by Germany and its ITEP partners in October 2009 (ITEP Project 2.4.2.13) and the Canadian test series starting in November 2009 to validate the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of PPE and to produce blast performance data for a series of face protection systems/visors (ITEP Project 5.1.3). These trials will produce final results at the beginning of 2010. All other running ITEP projects are envisaged to be completed by July 2010.
Some of the current ITEP Participants will stop all T&E activities in the area of humanitarian demining, while others such as Sweden and the United States, will continue their national programs. Test facilities of the ITEP nations might still be available for entities requiring to trial humanitarian demining equipment, but their use will have to be discussed with the relevant national authorities.
The ITEP website will continue to be updated and produce news on ITEP activities until July 2010. Discussions are currently ongoing to assure that most of the ITEP databases will remain accessible beyond 2010. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | |
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| September 2009 | | Start of the magnet tool project pilot implementation phase | In 2006 – 2007 the development and trial phases of the Magnetic Clutter Reduction Efficiency Project (ITEP Project 2.5.2.7) were executed. The aim of the latter project was to quantify the efficiency enhancement, and hence production increase, when using hand-held magnets and rakes equipped with magnets in manual demining.
Trials of various hand-held magnet tools took place in Cambodia in fall 2006 with the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) as partner, and in Angola in Kwanza Sul province and Malange province in May-June and November-December 2007 respectively with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) as partner.
Based on the experiences of both trials in Angola, NPA has requested support from TNO for a pilot implementation of the selected magnet-tool in all manual demining operations in Angola. This implementation phase, also funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and executed by TNO, has started recently and is planned to be finished mid 2010. The magnet-tool will, after some design modifications, be manufactured in series and will also be available for other demining organizations. | | contact: A. Schoolderman | | More info... |
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| September 2009 | | Canadian visor trial to start in November | Canada will start a new face protection system trial in November 2009 as a follow-up to previous trials. In doing so, it responds to an urgent request to validate the established test protocol (CEN Workshop Agreement) on test and evaluation of personal protective equipment (PPE), and to test face protection systems for humanitarian demining. The main objectives of the trial will be 1) to determine an appropriate TNT-equivalent for 240 g TNT to be used in face protection blast testing for humanitarian demining, and 2) to establish the blast performance of two commercially available and operationally used face protection systems as well as of the new design face protection mask (ROFI).
The two commercially available visors to be tested are the 5mm Security Devices Ltd. visor and the 5mm LBA International Ltd. Tetranike Visorband. Tests will be conducted using hybrid III mannequins. Actual PMN mines, cast TNT surrogate mines (100, 150, 175, 200, 225, and 240g) and hand-packed C4 surrogate mines will be evaluated. Initial tests will be conducted without visors in order to establish pressure and impulse data for the PMN mines, TNT and C4 surrogates. It is envisaged that everything will be ready to start testing in November. | | contact: C. Weickert | | More info... |
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| September 2009 | | German detector trial kicks off | The ITEP detector trial, to be held in a purpose-built test facility (ITEP Project 7.2.3) by the German Federal Ministry of Defense Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) at the BWB Technical Center for Protective and Special Technologies (WTD 52), will start on the 21st of September and last until the 16th of October. The main objective of the trial is to evaluate the performance of commercially available dual-sensor mine detectors (DS) consisting of a metal detector (MD) and ground penetrating radar (GPR), and to compare the DS performance to the performance obtained with stand-alone MDs. The stand-alone MDs included in the trial are those used in the DS detectors, as well as some MDs recently brought to the attention of the humanitarian demining arena such as those with a metal discriminating function. Furthermore, three stand-alone GPRs will be assessed in a role of follow-up detector to a MD (ITEP Project 2.2.2.7).
The trial is a reliability trial using 6 test lanes with 3 soil types, 20 active detector operators coming from various countries and organizations, and approximately 300 test targets including inert mines, surrogate mines similar to real mines in shape, size, metal content, dielectric coefficient and loss tangent at radar frequencies, as well as a range of non-mine like objects (clutter).
The trial has raised a lot of interest and will be attended by participants from Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Cambodia, Lebanon, France, Ireland, Australia and South Africa. | | contact: J. Sigmund | | More info... |
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| August 2009 | | Soil electromagnetic project report 2 | Another report resulting from the DRDC-Suffield study of soil electromagnetic properties and their influence on electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors is now available. The report gives a brief review of relevant electromagnetic (EM) theory and subsequently explores the basic physics of EMI metal detectors and associated implications for the relative significance of specific soil EM parameters. Particular attention is focused on Time Domain EM sensors and related influence of dispersive soil electromagnetic properties. The balance of the report is devoted to the theory and practice of measuring low-frequency (100 Hz – 100 kHz) soil EM properties including the investigation of a range of practical instrumentation and measurement procedures.
The reported study generally confirms that background noise levels contemplated by guidelines specified in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Soil Characterization for Metal Detector and Ground Penetrating Radar Performance (CWA 14747 - 2) are primarily associated with soil magnetic properties. The findings further support the CWA 14747- 2 guidelines for soil magnetic susceptibility and frequency variation of magnetic susceptibility. | | contact: Yoga Das | | More info... |
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| June 2009 | | Flail fundamentals project: update | In summer 2008 the Defence Research and Development Canada - Suffield (DRDC) initiated the Flail Fundamentals project (ITEP Project 3.2.46) which aims at evaluating the effectiveness of various flail configurations. The study looks at the influence of variables such as flail hammer type, chain length, rotational speed, travel speed, rotation direction, depth setting etc. on the flail ground penetration depth profile.
The flail tests are executed using the Chain Flail Evaluation Platform in undisturbed local Suffield prairie soil. After flailing of the test lane the ground penetration depth profile is measured using a specially designed system which compares to 12 very long fibreboards placed lengthwise along the flailing path. The system allows for visualisation of the ground penetration depth profile and calculation of ground penetration depth quantitative indicators such as the maximum effective depth and the soil penetration efficiency.
Last summer an entire series of tests (approximately 70 flail variable combinations) was executed with one hammer type only. Trials will continue this summer, with a second hammer type in use. A third hammer type may be trialled if weather and other factors cooperate. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| June 2009 | | Soil electromagnetic properties project report 1 | During recent years DRDC-Suffield led several studies (ITEP Project 2.1.1.4) with as main aim to help designers optimise the ability of metal detectors to detect low metal AP mines in difficult soils. Amongst other, a new laboratory instrument (UTEMIS) was developed together with a program providing the means of simulating the response of a specific metal detector due to a magnetic and/or conductive ground that may contain small ferromagnetic and/or electrically conductive objects. The report providing details on the UTEMIS instrument and software can be accessed via the below link.
Complementary soil characterisation work establishing a relation between soil electromagnetic characteristics and conventional soil characteristics (parent rock, degree of weathering etc) is being carried out by the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics in Hannover, Germany (ITEP Project 2.4.1.4). The latter institute is now also using the UTEMIS instrument to measure the magnetic susceptibility spectrum of a subset of the world soil samples archived at the LIAG. | | contact: Yoga Das | | More info... |
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| June 2009 | | Protective Footwear Standoff trial report | | The report describes past experimental trials carried out by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) – Suffield in order to quantitatively measure the effect that standoff has on blast mine injuries specific to the lower limb. Standoff is incorporated into the design of many protection systems, including demining boots. All tests were performed using a Frangible Surrogate Lower Leg (FSLL) inserted into a standard Canadian Combat Boot. Although the number of trials performed was too small to compile accurate statistics some trends were demonstrated. | | contact: Chris Weickert | | More info... |
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| June 2009 | | Publication of RAPTOR test report | The United States Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program (U.S. HDP) evaluated the Rapid Area Preparation Tool (RAPTOR) in October 2007 and May 2008 (ITEP Project 3.2.39). RAPTOR is the latest of a series of area preparationsystems on tractor platforms that the U.S. HDP has developed in the last decade. It was designed to handle all area-preparation tasks fromvegetation cutting and removal (up to vegetation category 3) to antipersonnel mine rolling, plowing, cultivating, and metal clutter removal (false alarm reduction).
The tests, carried out at two U.S. Army Test Facility sites, assessed the performance of the vegetation clearance, soil preparation, andclutter reduction attachments as well as the performance of the Fendt Model 918 tractor as RAPTOR’s prime mover. The published report describes the RAPTOR and its suite of attachments, details the different tests carried out and provides a list of the obtained area preparation performances. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| June 2009 | | New visor trials | During 2008 Canada and Sweden both performed trials of face protection systems using the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment, which was published at the end of 2007 (CWA 15756:2007). Sweden tested the new ROFI face protection system (ITEP Project 5.2.5), while Canada evaluated a proposed method for repairing scratch-damaged Security Devices visors using a heat gun (ITEP Project 5.2.4).
The above projects experienced unexpected results. Both visors/face protection systems tested using the specified 240 g TNT-equivalent failed, while anecdotal evidence (demining accidents) of visors used in operations appear to withstand the blast of a PMN AP blast mine containing 240 g of TNT. As a result of the 2008 trials the CWA 15756:2007 test protocol was temporarily taken out of circulation.
Realising that the test protocol has to be further validated, and that there is an urgent request for testing of face protection systems for humanitarian demining, Canada has decided to carry out an additional face protection system trial in the second half of 2009 (ITEP Project 5.1.3). The main objectives of the trial will be 1) to determine an appropriate TNT-equivalent for 240 g TNT to be used in face protection blast testing for humanitarian demining, and 2) to establish the blast performance of two commercially available and operationally used face protection systems as well as of the new design face protection mask (ROFI). | | contact: Chris Weickert | | More info... |
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| May 2009 | | Update of the CWA 15044:2004 | Since the publication of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044) in July 2004 it has been used extensively by ITEP members and other entities carrying out trials of mechanical equipment for humanitarian demining applications. Some inconsistencies in the test guidelines were noticed and several lessons were learned during the many trials carried out in specialised test facilities as well as in the field. It was therefore decided that a minor revision of the CWA 15044 would be worthwhile.
The draft revision was implemented in the course of 2008 by the ITEP Working Group on Test and Evaluation of Mechanical Assistance Clearance Equipment (WGMAE) with support from the technology unit of the GICHD. CEN has recently contacted all former Workshop members (Workshop 12) for their comments on the revised document and will only be able to publish the updated version of the CWA 15044 if agreement can be reached amongst those members. In the other case, a new Workshop will have to be reconvened. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| May 2009 | | MV4 tiller trial at SWEDEC | | A trial of the DOK-ING MV4 with tiller was conducted by the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC) during the second and third week of May 2009 at the Norra Kulla test facility (ITEP Project 3.2.48). The MV4 tiller tool is still under development and because the first test results showed the need for a modification of the tiller, DOK-ING decided to abort the remainder of the trial. The tiller will be further developed and a full trial with the improved tiller is scheduled for testing during September – October 2009. | | contact: Curt Larsson | |
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| March 2009 | | The detection equipment database is now also available. | The mechanical demining equipment database was published on the ITEP home page in September 2008. A feature article in the Mine Action Technology Newsletter (February 2009) describes the content of the mechanical demining equipment database more in detail.
The detection equipment database is now also available. It contains test and evaluation information on detection equipment for humanitarian demining. For each item selected, the user is presented with a summary of publicly available test and evaluation information, as well as links to other sites and documents which can provide additional information on the selected equipment. The equipment database contains all equipment listed in the GICHD equipment catalogues, and additional equipment not listed in the GICHD catalogues but for which test and evaluation information can be found in the ITEP reports database. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| March 2009 | | Lessons learned on T&E of mechanical demining equipment | Two documents compiled by the ITEP working Group on Test and Evaluation of Mechanical Assistance Clearance equipment (WGMAE) were recently published at the ITEP reports website. The documents cover lessons learned from mechanical equipment performance trials carried out by ITEP Participants according to the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Mechanical Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004) during the period 2005 - 2008. The documents were written as part of the currently ongoing update of the CWA 15044:2004 and compile experiences related to the effect of soil condition on measurements of ground penetration depth and machine performance.
Lessons Learned. Test and Evaluation of Mechanical Demining Equipment. Part 1: The effect of soil condition on measurements of ground penetration depth and machine performance.
Lessons Learned. Test and Evaluation of Mechanical Demining Equipment, Part 2: Interpretation of Ground Penetration Depth Measurements
| | contact: ITEP Secretariat | |
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| March 2009 | | Publication of the 2009 ITEP Work Plan | The ITEP Work Plan 2009 contains 27 technical test and evaluation activities of which 20 are ongoing and 7 are planned to start in 2009. The activities of the ITEP network continue to decrease. However, they seem to be more focused now on user requirements formulated by the Observers to ITEP (UNMAS and GICHD).
The main 2009 activities are related to either the T&E of dual-sensor detectors or the testing of new tiller tools recently produced to complement the already available flails. Other equipment will also be tested, such as metal detectors (handheld and arrays), ground penetrating radars (handheld and arrays), handheld magnets, and multi-tooled mechanical equipment. On the test methodology front, work is continuing on the guidelines for dual-sensor detector testing and associated soil characterisation. Furthermore, a revision of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004) is ongoing.
The 2009 ITEP Work Plan is complemented by the ITEP Work Plan 2000 - 2008, which summarises all test and evaluation activities by the ITEP Participants since the creation of ITEP and completed at the end of 2008. Each project description includes conclusions and links to the relevant test reports. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| March 2009 | | The report on the 2008 Digger-D2 flail and tiller trial is now available | During September - October 2008 the Digger D-2, with flail and tiller working tools, was submitted to a full assessment according to the CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004). The performance and survivability tests were carried out upon request of the manufacturer by the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC) at the Norra Kulla test facility. A Pre-Trial Assessment (PTA) of the machine with flail only, had previously been carried out by Defence Research and Development Canada (ITEP Project 3.2.32).
The test report provides details of the performance tests in sand, gravel and topsoil with mine targets buried at 0, 10 and 15 cm depth. It also includes the associated ground penetration depth measurements (fibreboard penetration profiles) and the results of the Anti-Tank mine survivability tests on the flail and tiller working tool. A summary of the main results can be found in the report executive summary. A video of the Digger-D2 trial at SWDEC can be viewed at the DIGGER website. | | contact: Patrik Blomander | | More info... |
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| February 2009 | | Update on the operational field evaluation of the Rotary Mine Comb in Angola | The operational evaluation of the Rotary Mine Comb (RMC) for road clearance in Angola is part of an ongoing HALO Trust partnership with the United States Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program (U.S. HDP) for the development and evaluation of mechanical assistance equipment (ITEP Project 3.2.13). An article in the recent issue of the Journal of Mine Action (Issue 12.2, Winter 2009/09) describes the characteristics of the RMC and how it has been deployed in Angola to uncover minimal-metal anti-tank mines.
More information on the RMC can also be found in the following two test reports: Test Report Rotary Mine Comb, Proof of Performance Test Report on Mine Clearing/Survivable Vehicle (MANTIS) | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| January 2009 | | Publication of the CEN Workshop Agreement on soil characterization for metal detector and GPR performance | The CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) – Test and Evaluation (T&E) - Soil Characterization for Metal Detector and Ground Penetrating Radar has now been published at the CEN website. This CWA was from its conception planned to be complementary to the CWA on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747:2003) and was therefore published as the second part of the latter CWA: CWA 14747 - Part 2 : 2008. The original CWA on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors, first published in 2003 (CWA 14747:2003) has now been republished as CWA 14747 - Part 1: 2003, without any changes to the original text.
The CWA - T&E - Soil Characterization for Metal Detector and Ground Penetrating Radar was drafted and approved by a Workshop of representatives of interested parties, drawn from different sectors (see ITEP Project 2.4.1.2 description for more details). It provides mine action programmes, demining companies and field operators with:simple procedures to assess the effects of soils on the performance of metal detectors and dual sensors, and clues to recognise soils that may create difficulties to metal detectors and dual-sensors.
It also provides people designing tests to evaluate metal detectors or dual sensors with:a list of soil properties to record that can affect the performance of these detectors,procedures to determine these properties, relative soil comparison rules to compare and choose soils for testing, and soil classifications based on the effects on metal detector performance. | | contact: Yann Yvinec | | More info... |
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| December 2008 | | The Dual Sensor test facility construction moves ahead | Germany is building a dual-sensor test facility at the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Protective and Special Technologies (WTD 52) to be used for the ITEP Dual-Sensor trial in September 2009 (ITEP Project 2.4.2.13). The test facility will be made accessible to different partners (ITEP, NATO PfP) as well as to equipment manufacturers after the termination of the dual-sensor trial.
The facility consists of 12 test lanes: 6 test lanes for reliability (blind) trials and 6 training lanes. Three different soils were used covering the low, middle and high spectrum of electromagnetic characteristics found in mine affected countries. The latter was implemented with support from the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics in Hannover (ITEP Project 2.4.1.4). Based on the measured soil susceptibilities of 520 samples, mainly from mine affected countries, German soils with similar characteristics were then identified and used to construct the test lanes.
Approximately 300 realistic test targets will be buried 6 months before the execution of the trial. The test targets will include inert mines, surrogate mines similar to real mines in shape, size, metal content, dielectric coefficient and loss tangent at radar frequencies, as well as a range of non-mine like objects (clutter). | | contact: Joachim Sigmund | |
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| December 2008 | | Test report on the second blast trial of the ROFI Face Mask | The Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC), together with the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) performed a second series of blast tests on the ROFI Industrier AS face mask in November 2008. The first trial took place in November 2007 using the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of PPE (CWA 15756:2007) guidelines. However, after the November 2007 trial was concluded and reported, it was realised that the explosive charge which had been used (140 g TNT equivalent) was not equivalent to the charge specified in the CWA (240 g TNT equivalent). The trial was therefore repeated with the correct explosive charge, and with the new slightly modified ROFI face mask.
While the first series of blast tests produced satisfactory performance results, the recent tests showed that the tested PPE did neither withstand the blast, nor the secondary fragments and heat. Questions now surface about the representativeness of the simulated mine as stipulated by the CWA 15756:2007, and further methodology tests are recommended in order to make the results obtained from CWA tests more representative of what happens in minefield operations.
The test report describes the tested PPE, the used test methodology and the corresponding test results. A summary of the results is also available in the test report abstract. | | contact: Curt Larsson | | More info... |
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| November 2008 | | Publication of the Freeland 3000 test reports | The Freeland 3000 is a medium flail currently under development. The machine was submitted to a two day Pre-Trial Assessment (PTA), followed by a performance and AT survivability trial according to the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of demining machines (CWA 15044:2004). All tests were executed in August 2008 at the SWEDEC Norra Kulla test facility upon request of the manufacturer, Complete Demining AB.
Both test reports provide a description of the machine. The PTA report focuses on the initial tests that were executed (mobility, speed, vegetation clearance and ground penetration depth) to gather and verify basic data about the maturity and applicability of the machine for humanitarian demining. A summary of the main results is available in the PTA report executive summary.
The Test and Evaluation report, available via the link below, presents the results of the CWA 15044:2004 performance tests in sand, gravel and topsoil with mine targets buried at 0, 10 and 15 cm depth as well as the outcome of the AT survivability trial. The results are summarised in the test report executive summary | | contact: Bo Malmberg | | More info... |
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| November 2008 | | The test report of the 2008 MV-10 trial is now available. | During the first week of May 2008, the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre SWEDEC carried out a series of performance tests and a survivability trial on the DOK-ING MV-10 Double Tool Mine Clearance System. The tests were requested by the manufacturer and carried out at the Norra Kulla test facility according to the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004). The MV-10 was tested with the combined flail and tiller head. This trial followed a similar trial executed by the Canadian Defence and Research Development (DRDC) in 2006 at the CROMAC-CTRO test facility. For the 2008 trial the MV-10 had been modified (new version of the remote control system) and more attention was given to visually controlling the forward speed.
The test report provides details of the performance tests in sand, gravel and topsoil with mine targets buried at 0, 10 and 15 cm depth. It also includes the associated ground penetration depth measurements (fibreboard penetration profiles) and ground processing times. It further discusses the survivability trial. A summary of the main results can be found in the report executive summary. | | contact: curt.larsson@mil.se | | More info... |
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| October 2008 | | Tests to determine the effects of soil heterogeneity on landmine detection using GPR | In November 2008 the LIAG (Hannover, Germany) will start a measurement campaign in collaboration with Tohoku University (Japan). The campaign is designed to study the effects of natural soil heterogeneity and its seasonal variations on landmine detection using ground penetrating radar (GPR).
GPR is considered a valuable addition to the metal detector for landmine detection in certain operational conditions. It is also known that GPR detections can be influenced by soil heterogeneity causing diffractions masking the mine signal. Test sites to evaluate detector performance usually do not represent these natural soil features which can show high spatial variability. The LIAG study will assess how the GPR signal is influenced by these spatially variable soil features, and will ultimately contribute to more fully assess the capabilities of GPR, as a stand-alone detector and as part of a dual-sensor detector.
Measurements will be carried out with the ALIS GPR (Tohoku University) in different seasons under different conditions (wet, dry and heterogeneous soil moisture distribution) on test lanes which include mine targets, mine-like targets and other clutter. At the same time, measurements will be executed to determine the spatial distribution of electrical conductivity, as well as the permittivity distribution. These measurements will serve to relate the performance of the GPR to the variability of the soil properties and to propose a classification showing to what extent a certain heterogeneity will affect landmine detection using GPR and dual-sensor detectors including GPR. | | contact: Holger Preetz | |
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| October 2008 | | Publication of the report on the 2005 Tempest Ground Engaging Flail performance trial | A performance trial of the Tempest Mk V with ground engaging flail (GEF) was conducted in September 2005 by the ITEP Partners Canada and Sweden. This trial followed an in-country trial of the machine in February 2005. Because the in-country trial did not strictly follow the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004) test guidelines, it was decided to repeat the performance trial at the SWEDEC test facility in order to obtain performance data which can be compared to those of other machines tested according to the CWA 15044:2004, and to assess to what extent performance results obtained during an in-country trial on unprepared test sites reflect performance in standardized, prepared conditions. Furthermore, the influence of the type of test target on the performance results was also evaluated.
The report details the standardised trial methodology and the performance results obtained with the Tempest Mk V GEF. It includes, amongst others, neutralization data for three soil types and three burial depths, depth and consistency of penetration data for the latter conditions, and observations related to the remote control system, speed, flail shroud design, etc.
The Tempest machine trial was carried out in September 2005 and many of the issues discussed in the report (December 2007) have in the meantime been addressed (see comments manufacturer on the draft trial report). | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| September 2008 | | Update on the HSTAMIDS operational field evaluation | The HSTAMIDS operational field evaluation project (ITEP Project 2.4.2.11), carried out by the United States Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program (U.S. HDP) and the HALO Trust, commenced in March 2006. An article in the latest Journal of Mine Action (Issue 12.1, Summer 2008) describes the different phases of the operational field evaluation in Cambodia, as well as the evolution of the project. Results for the period March 2006 to June 2008 are also reported.
The HSTAMIDS dual-sensor detector is commercially available. Requests to purchase the system will be considered by the manufacturer (L-3 Cyterra) in consultation with the U.S. HDP. Sale of the HSTAMIDS is accompanied by a tailored training package.
| | contact: L. Offen | | More info... |
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| September 2008 | | SWEDEC mechanical equipment trials: update | The Freeland 3000 flail was tested by the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC) at the Norra Kulla test facility in August 2008. The machine, which is currently being developed by a Swedish company (Complete Demining AB) was submitted to a Pre-Trial Assessment (PTA) consisting of speed and mobility tests, vegetation clearance tests and an assessment of the ground penetration depth during clearance.
At the end of September 2008, SWEDEC will also be testing the Digger D-2. This trial is a follow-up of the Pre-Trial Assessment (PTA) executed by Canada (DRDC - CCMAT) in September 2006 on the Digger D2 vegetation and ground-clearing flail. The PTA recommended that the machine would be considered for further testing and/or field trials. In the meantime the Digger D2 has undergone further development and the new version, incorporating a flail and a tiller working tool, will now be submitted to a full CWA 15044:2004 assessment (performance and survivability trial). | | contact: Curt Larsson | |
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| August 2008 | | Publication of the CEN Workshop Agreement 14747:2003 Field User Guide | The CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747:2003), published in June 2003, provides guidelines, principles and procedures for test and evaluation of metal detectors (MDs). It is a comprehensive document specifying a full range of tests (30) of which some are intended to be used by research and development laboratories or manufacturers, and others by organisations needing to procure MDs.
The Field User Guide complements the CWA 14747: 2003. It reduces the full range of CWA 14747 tests to three key tests considered the minimum requirement for determining the best suited metal detector for given local conditions:Maximum detection depth in soil, Reliability (blind) test, and Sensitivity profile (footprint).
In a separate chapter, the document deals with MD features which were only introduced recently and hence not covered by the list of original CWA 14747 tests.
The Field User Guide has been compiled by the German Federal Institute for Materials Testing (BAM), with input from the ITEP Working Group on T&E of Multi(dual) Sensors, UNMAS and GICHD. It makes extensive use of the test experiences gathered during the 2004 - 2007 STEMD and BAM MD reliability trials. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| August 2008 | | Announcement of the final meeting of the CEN Workshop 07/Part Two on soil characterisation | | The final draft version of the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on Soil Characterisation for metal detector and ground penetrating radar performance was published on the CEN website in June 2008. During a two month period of public inquiry several comments were received. These comments will now be discussed at the next and final meeting of the CEN Workshop 07/Part Two, which will take place on the 4th of September 2008 in the Royal Military School, Brussels, Belgium. It is further hoped that a CEN Workshop Agreement document can be finalised and approved by all Workshop members for formal publication by CEN. | | contact: Sylvie Arbouy | | More info... |
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| August 2008 | | Visor tests at SWEDEC postponed to the end of November 2008 | A second series of blast tests on the ROFI face mask, originally planned for summer 2008, will now take place during the last week of November at the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC) in collaboration with the Swedish Rescue Service Agency (SRSA). This second series of blast tests, to be executed following the test guidelines of the CEN Workshop Agreement on T&E of Personal Protective Equipment (CWA 15756:2007) follows a previous limited trial executed in October 2007.
The main objective of the new test series is to collect a larger data set on the blast resistance of the new visor system. An important difference with the previous trial is that two types of explosives, Pentyl and TNT, will be used. The use of an equivalent amount of TNT next to Pentyl, the explosive used in the previous trial, will allow determining if the difference in detonation velocity has a significant effect on the visor blast performance results. Furthermore, the new test series will also include a ROFI conventional visor as reference. | | contact: Curt Larsson | |
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| June 2008 | | German soil characterisation activity: update | The German Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) is currently working on a database of tropical soils with as aim the definition of a soil classification system to estimate soil influence on detector performance (ITEP Project 2.4.1.4). The idea of a soil properties database to satisfy soil information requirements was first proposed by Das et al. in 2003. Over the years several activities were carried out under the ITEP umbrella to collect relevant soil information, as well as data on how soil characteristics influence the performance of metal detectors.
A GEOTIMES article, published in June 2008, provides more details on the LIAG soil characterisation activity. A draft soil classification system is also available, but it is now being refined using additional data. More details will be presented at the Workshop on Soil Magnetism at the end of August 2008.
Soil samples from uncooperative soil are welcome for further analysis. For more information on the required soil sample format please contact H. Preetz. | | contact: Holger Preetz | | More info... |
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| June 2008 | | The CEN Workshop 07/Part Two has published the corresponding draft CEN Workshop Agreement for public comments | The CEN Workshop 07/Part Two (Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) - Test and evaluation - Metal detectors: Soil characterization for metal detector and ground penetrating radar performance) has now completed the draft document. It was posted on the CEN Website for public comments on the 19th of June 2008. Comments are to be sent to the Workshop secretary (contact below) prior to the 16th of August 2008.
The final draft agreement has been reached over four technical meetings with participants from a variety of countries and organizations. The Chairmanship and Technical Secretariat were provided by the Royal Military School (Belgium) with professional standardization support from the French Standards Association (AFNOR).
The draft CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) provides guidelines, principles and procedures for the characterization of the effects of soil on the performance of metal detectors and ground penetrating radars. It complements Part One of the CWA 14747:2004, which provides guidelines, principles and procedures for the test and evaluation of metal detectors. It applies to all hand-held types of metal detectors and dual-sensors combining metal detectors and ground penetrating radars for use in humanitarian demining. | | contact: Sylvie Arbouy | | More info... |
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| June 2008 | | Dual-sensor detector trial preparations are ongoing in Germany | Currently, Germany is building a dual-sensor test field at the German Armed Forces Test Center, near Bad Reichenhall (ITEP Project 7.2.13). The test field is planned to meet international requirements, and will consist of several test lanes with soils spanning a range of electromagnetic characteristics, as well as of operator training areas including areas with permanently buried test targets.
Because the test field construction will not be completed before August 2008 and the envisaged measurement campaign cannot take place in winter, the execution of the trial (ITEP Project 2.4.2.13) is scheduled for June-September 2009.
Several issues remain regarding the test field set-up and the below contact point would be interested to hear your opinion on the following:special test field requirements arising from the use of a ground penetrating radar (GPR), and the required test lane soil depth. The latter is currently set at 0.6 m.
The final aim is to establish harmonized test conditions. Any advice and comments will be gladly received and forwarded to the participants involved and to the ITEP Working Group for Test and Evaluation of Dual Sensors (ITEP WGMS) | | contact: Joachim Sigmund | |
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| June 2008 | | Publication of relevant soil information for detector test areas | In the framework of the German ITEP Project Humin/Md (ITEP Project 2.1.1.7) the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG) carried out soil measurements on test lanes frequently used for metal detector testing.
Pedological, mineralogical and magnetic characteristics were determined for test lanes in Ispra, Italy (report 1) and in Moamba, Mozambique (report 2). Furthermore, an analysis of the frequency dependent complex magnetic susceptibility of soil samples from test sites in BiH, Mozambique and Laos was also performed (report 3). In a last report (report 4) information is provided on the pedological and magnetic susceptibility of natural soils occurring nearby the Croatian Mine Action Centre detector test facility Benkovac, as well as on the spatial variability of the soil magnetic susceptibility.
The LIAG is continuing to collect and assess characteristics of soils from a variety of test areas and mine affected areas (ITEP Project 2.4.1.4). The main objective is to compile and maintain a database of soil characteristics relevant to the use of metal and dual-sensor detectors, which can also be used to make a prognosis of the magnetic properties of mine affected soils. | | contact: Holger Preetz | |
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| May 2008 | | CEN Workshop 7 - Part 2 (Soil Characterisation): next meeting | The next and last meeting of the CEN Workshop on Soil Characterisation for Metal Detector and Ground Penetrating Radar Performance will be held at the Royal Military School in Brussels on the 29th of May 2008. The main objective of the meeting is to agree on a final draft of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Soil Characterisation for Metal Detector and Ground Penetrating Radar Performance (CWA 14747/ Part Two).
Technical meetings of the Workshop took place in May 2007, October 2007 and January 2008. The draft CWA 14747/ Part Two, which was discussed at the January 2008 Workshop meeting, has been further amended and this latest update will be presented at the Workshop meeting for final agreement, prior to publication at the CEN website for public comments. For further details on the meeting, please contact Sylvie Arbouy or the Workshop Chair Yann Yvinec. | | contact: Yann Yvinec | | More info... |
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| May 2008 | | CWA 15044 trial of the MV-10 at SWEDEC | During the first week of May, the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC) carried out a trial of the DOK-ING MV-10 Double Tool Mine Clearance System fitted with a new remote control system. The trial was conducted at the SWEDEC Norra Kulla test range according to the test methodology described in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044: 2004).
The performance trial consisted of a series of test runs with the double tool in three different soil types, and with the SWEDEC test targets buried at three different depths. The survivability trial was carried out against the antitank mine m/41-47 with metal casing, boosted up with plastics equivalent to 8 kg TNT.
Previous trials with the MV-10 were carried at in Croatia, at the Centre for Testing Development and Training test facility in 2006 (test report DRDC) and 2005 (test report CTRO). The final report of the recent trial at SWEDEC is expected to be published at the end of July 2008. | | contact: Bo Malmberg | |
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| April 2008 | | Publication of the final report on the Danger Area Marking Kit | In order to meet a stated user requirement from the 2003 U.S. Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program Requirements Workshop, a Danger Area Marking (DAM) was developed and tested. The DAM kit provides tools and materials for the perimeter marking of suspect or identified danger areas containing explosive remnants of war, including mines. The testing of the DAM kit was carried out at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR - Defencetek) in South Africa, and by the Accelerated Demining Program (ADP) in Mozambique. All the items included in the kit proved useful, adding value to the marking activities and enhancing the visibility of danger area markings.
The concise final report provides an overview of the kit, its capabilities and the different test phases it has undergone. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| March 2008 | | DRDC Suffield deminer visor trial: update | During January-March 2008 Defence Research and Development Canada Suffield (DRDC Suffield) conducted a trial in order to be able to assess if the visor scratch repair method using heat treatment, as explained in the Journal of Mine Action (JMA) article Visor Scratch Repair and Prevention, would make visors brittle.
A series of blast tests (12), V50 tests (12) and Vproof tests (12) were conducted on new (4), scratched (4) and scratched and heat treated (4) visors. The visors used in the trial were the same as the equipment described in the JMA article. The scratched visors were obtained by manual abrasion of the new visor surface until the visor was opaque. The heat treatment of the scratched visors was carried out using a heat gun in accordance with JMA article and in consultation with the author of the article.
All tests have now been finalised and the data are currently being analysed. It is expected that the final report detailing the results will be available by May 2008. | | contact: Chris Weickert | |
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| March 2008 | | U.S. Humanitarian Demining projects: update | The U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program has several ongoing projects that are being carried out in mine affected countries.
There are two major detection projects taking place: the HSTAMIDS Long Term Operational Evaluation and the Test and Evaluation of the Mine Stalker Ground Penetrating Radar system.
There are three mechanical systems deployed overseas as a result of U.S. ITEP Projects: the Tempest Mark 6, the Mini-Mulcher MAXX (and MAXX+ Vegetation Clearance System) and the Rotary Mine Comb.
An update of the current activities in these projects is given in the link below. | | contact: L. Offen | | More info... |
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| March 2008 | | The final report of the 2006 MV-10 Double Tool Mine Clearing System trial is now also available | During June - September 2006, a series of effectiveness tests of the DOK-ING MV-10 Medium Double Tool was carried out at the Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC) - Centre for Testing, Development and Training (CTRO) Cerovac test facility. The test series was performed as a cooperative ITEP trial between Canada and Croatia, and guided by the test methodology described in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004). During the tests the MV-10 was equipped with a combination flail and tiller head, and both tools were used simultaneously. Only performance tests were executed, as the machine had already been certified for use against AP- and AT-mines by CROMAC (see CROMAC-CTRO report).
The test report presents the machine characteristics, describes the applied test methodology and gives an analysis of the obtained results (including data sheets and pictures). The main conclusions can be found in the executive summary. Comments of the manufacturer on the draft test report are available in Annex E. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| March 2008 | | Technical note on the possible triggering of the Type72b anti-personnel mine with a magnet (-tool) | This technical note is available as Annex B of the final report on the magnetic clutter reduction efficiency trial. It concerns the issue raised in open source that the Type72b anti-personnel mine could be triggered by a magnet (-tool), even when the mine battery is completely depleted.
An analysis was conducted of the electronics circuitry of a Type72b anti-personnel mine with the aim of giving a prediction model of the magnetic induction characteristics needed to set off the detonator.
The general conclusion of the assessment was that triggering a Type72b anti-personnel mine of which the battery is completely depleted by means of a manually moved magnet is impossible, neither by charging the detonation capacitor nor by direct induced power. However, a warning is placed that when the battery is not completely depleted, but still maintains sufficient power to keep the logic devices running and prevent the detonation capacitor from discharging, then a severe risk is present that the tilt-switch is set off. | | contact: A. Schoolderman | | More info... |
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| March 2008 | | Publication of the final report on the magnetic clutter reduction efficiency trial | The aim of the project was to quantify the expected efficiency increase in humanitarian demining operations obtained by using hand-held permanent magnet-tools in the close-in detection phase. Based on criteria developed as part of the project, suitable magnet-tools were selected for the trial, which was carried out by TNO Defence, Security and Safety in collaboration with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) and Norwegian People Aid (NPA).
The trial was carried out during demining operations in life minefields, and as a series of three consecutive tests (one test in Cambodia and two tests in Angola), so that the lessons learned from one test could be applied in the following test. The third and last test, executed during road-clearance operations in Angola, consisted of an endurance trial in which only one magnet-tool was evaluated.
The final report gives a description of the magnet-tools and magnet-tool selection process. It further gives an account of the trial set-up, test sites and used standard operating procedures, as well as an analysis of the collected data. The main results and conclusions can be found in the report summary. | | contact: A. Schoolderman | | More info... |
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| March 2008 | | Publication of the 2008 ITEP Work Plan | The 2008 ITEP Work Plan contains the ongoing and planned test and evaluation activities of all ITEP Participants for 2008. There will be considerably fewer activities than in previous years, which is mainly due to the shift in focus of the ITEP Participants to test and evaluation in areas other than humanitarian demining.
The 2008 ITEP Work Plan contains approximately 30 technical test and evaluation activities, mostly of detection (43 %) and mechanical assistance clearance equipment (39%). An important project in the detection category will be the continuation of the development of test guidelines for dual-sensor detectors with an associated German dual-sensor trial. The mechanical testing will mainly be the continuation of the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program operational field evaluations, with some smaller activities by Sweden and Canada. Further testing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) according to the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of PPE (CWA 15756:2007) is also envisaged.
The 2008 ITEP Work Plan is complemented by the ITEP Work Plan 2000 - 2007, which summarises all test and evaluation activities by the ITEP Participants since the creation of ITEP and completed at the end of 2007. Each project description includes conclusions and links to the relevant test reports | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| February 2008 | | A new version of the STEMD Mozambique report has been published | The first version of the report was published in December 2005. The report covers the second field trial of the STEMD project (Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors, ITEP project 2.1.2.3), which was carried out by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC/EC) in Mozambique during April - May 2005.
The following errors in chapter 8 have now been rectified: The last lines of tables 8.1 CEIA and 8.31 VMH3(M) have been replaced, the graphs are not affected.The text on p. 98 explaining an outlier has been clarified. The highlighting colours in some tables have been corrected.
The JRC/EC thanks Dr. Yann Yvinec of the Royal Military School for alerting them to the need for these corrections. | | contact: Adam Lewis | | More info... |
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| February 2008 | | The test report of the 2006 Bozena-5 trial is now available. | The trial of the Bozena-5 flail was conducted by Canada (DRDC) in collaboration with Sweden (SWEDEC) and Croatia (CROMAC-CTRO) under the ITEP umbrella, using the test methodology described in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004). All tests took place at the CROMAC - CTRO Cerovac test facility during May - June 2006. Performance as well as survivability tests were carried out. The survivability tests and vegetation cutting tests were part of the CROMAC-CTRO led acceptance trial.
The trial report gives a description of the machine, the test methodology and results (including data sheets and pictures). The Executive Summary lists the main conclusions, while Annex E includes the feedback by the manufacturer to a draft version of the report. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| January 2008 | | Publication of the Mini MineWolf Test and Evaluation Report | The German Army Technical Center for Weapons and Ammunition (WTD 91), with support from the Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), tested the Mini MineWolf on its performance and survivability during August - September 2007. The trial was executed according to the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044: 2004) test guidelines in specially prepared test lanes at the WTD 91 test site in Meppen. Both the tiller and flail tool were evaluated.
The final report gives a full account of the test set-up and presents the results for each performed test (18 performance tests, 18 survivability tests). It concludes that the Mini MineWolf demining machine, with both attachments, is suited for the clearance of Anti-Personnel and Anti-Tank mines. It achieved good results in the performance tests. The total Mini MineWolf clearance rate was approximately 99 % at an operating speed between 781 and 1595 square meter per hour. No major damage occurred during the survivability tests and all necessary repairs could be performed on site the same day. | | contact: Joachim Sigmund | | More info... |
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| January 2008 | | Publication of MineWolf Tiller Test Report | In September 2006, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) carried out a performance trial of the MineWolf tiller in co-operation with the Croatian Centre for Testing, Development and Training (HCR-CTRO). The trial was conducted at the HCR-CTRO mechanical test site (Cerovac) in accordance with the test methodology specified in the CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004). The original intention had been to trial the complete MineWolf machine, which consists of a tiller and a flail attachment to be used as part of a System, interchangeable dependent on conditions. However, due to test resource limitations only the MineWolf tiller was evaluated. The machine and operator were provided by MKA Demining, a demining company based in Croatia.
The test report includes a description of the MineWolf tiller, the used test methodology as well as a detailed account of the obtained test results (including data sheets and pictures). The Executive Summary summarises the main conclusions, while Annex E gives the feedback provided by the manufacturer to a draft version of the report. Other test reports for the MineWolf can be found in the ITEP reports and publications database. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| December 2007 | | Publication of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment used in Humanitarian Mine Action | The CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA 15756) has been drafted and approved by a Workshop of representatives of interested parties. The test methodology is intended to give guidance to key stakeholders involved in the design, utilisation and procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The individual tests are designed to be pragmatic and relatively cost-effective, and as such not all tests may be statistically valid.
The first CEN Workshop meeting was held at the GICHD on the 5th and 6th of September 2006, where the basis for the CWA was designed. The second meeting of the CEN Workshop was held from the 5th to the 6th of December 2006 during which a draft of the CWA was further developed. The third and last technical meeting took place at the CEN Management Centre from the 13th to the 14th of March 2007. At this last meeting the final draft CWA was agreed and then published at the CEN website for public comments. Following this period of public consultation (2 months) the CWA was finalised by the CEN Workshop and published by CEN at the end of December 2007. | | contact: Tim Lardner | | More info... |
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| December 2007 | | Evaluation of the clutter reduction effectivity of demining tools with magnets: trials completed | A second trial in a live road clearance operation in Angola, executed in the framework of the Magnetic Clutter Reduction Efficiency Project (ITEP Project 2.5.2.7), has now been completed.
Norwegian People Aid facilitated the trial in Malanje province, Angola, during which 13 deminers worked with magnet-tools for 36 days (see picture). Earlier trials were carried out in Cambodia and Angola.
The productivity of the 13 deminers working with the magnet-tools was compared on a daily basis with that of a reference group of 13 deminers working with the standard NPA manual demining toolkit. In contrast to the two previous trials, the magnet-tools were only used to pick up metal parts during the excavation phase. Although the deminers who worked with the tools were enthusiastic and stated that the use of the magnet-tools increases the speed of the operation, it could not be proven quantitatively from the trial results. The deminers working with the magnet-tools cleared 11% less area, but found 26 % more metal parts.
Based on the experiences of both trials in Angola, NPA has requested support from TNO for implementing the magnet-tools in all manual demining operations in Angola. | | contact: Arnold Schoolderman | | More info... |
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| November 2007 | | Redesign of the ITEP pictures webpage | The layout of the ITEP pictures website has been changed in order for it to be more compatible with the ITEP reports and ITEP activities webpages.
The ITEP pictures database contains photographs of humanitarian demining equipment that has been tested under the ITEP umbrella or for which test reports are available in the ITEP reports database. It further includes pictures that illustrate the test and evaluation process, as well as some photographs of test facilities. The database is a life database, and pictures are still being added.
Pictures can be looked up by typing a keyword in the general search or by using the specific search lists on equipment, test methodology and test facilities. The search result produces an overview of all pictures that fulfil the search criteria. By clicking on a picture, you will obtain the full resolution picture with comments and, where relevant, links to the equipment manufacturer, the ITEP activity in which the equipment was tested, and all corresponding test reports available in the ITEP reports database.
All pictures and picture descriptions may be reproduced on condition that the source is credited. Feedback which would allow to further improve the functionality of this webpage is very welcome. | | contact: Franciska Borry | | More info... |
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| November 2007 | | CEN Workshop 7 - Part 2 (Soil Characterisation): update | | The second technical meeting of the CEN Workshop 7 on Soil Characterisation for Metal Detector and Ground Penetrating Radar Performance was held in Brussels on the 2nd of October 2007. A second draft text of the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA 14747/Part Two) was discussed. Various changes were proposed with as main aim to make the text more reader and user friendly. The new draft text of the CWA 14747/Part Two will be discussed, completed and hopefully approved at the third Workshop meeting to be held on the 22nd of January 2008 at the CEN Management Centre in Brussels. | | contact: Yann Yvinec | | More info... |
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| October 2007 | | ITEP observers during the trial of Japanese dual-sensor mine detector systems | | From the 22nd to the 26th of October 2007, several dual-sensor mine detector systems developed by the Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST) were tested by the Croatian Mine Action Centre - Centre for Testing Development and Training (HCR-CTRO) in co-operation with the JST. ITEP Representatives from Canada (DRDC) and Belgium (RMS) attended the trial to observe and comment the test procedures used. They provided feedback to the trial entities, as well as to the ITEP test community. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| October 2007 | | Sweden tests a new PPE system | In close cooperation with the the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA), the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre(SWEDEC) performed a test on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in accordance with the new CEN Workshop 26, Humanitarian mine action (HMA), Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Test and Evaluation.
The test consisted of a short set of shots against a PPE system provided by ROFI. The blast tests were conducted on the 2nd of October 2007 at SWEDEC. Both SRSA and SWEDEC personnel were involved in the test. The tested PPE system is made up of body armour in two pieces (protecting lower and upper torso respectively) and a face mask. The results are still under analysis and will be reported shortly. | | contact: Ralf Andren | |
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| September 2007 | | ITEP detector trials cancelled | | The cancelled detector trials (dual-sensor detectors and metal detectors) were planned to be funded and led by Germany with assistance from Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands. Due to the short term unavailability of two dual-sensor systems, the Lead Nation has decided to cancel the projects. However, they may be resumed in 2008. In the meantime, the proposed trial plan will remain in draft form and continued to be reviewed. More information on the originally planned trials is available in a previous news item. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | |
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| September 2007 | | CEN Workshop 7 - Part 2 (Soil Characterisation): next meeting | The next meeting of the CEN Workshop on Soil Characterisation for Metal Detector and Ground Penetrating Radar Performance will be held at the CEN Management Centre on the 2nd of October 2007. The main objective of the meeting is to comment and amend the text of the draft CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA 14747/Part Two).
Previous meetings of this Workshop took place in May 2007 and November 2006. It is expected that a final version of the CWA will be available by the beginning of next year. | | contact: Yann Yvinec | | More info... |
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| 7 September 2007 | | The UK ends its ITEP membership | The United Kingdom, represented by the Department for International Development (DFID) has ended its ITEP membership because of changing priorities in the DFID Mine Action Policy. Over the next three years, DFID will focus assistance on direct mine action, and building developing country capacity to carry out mine action while continuing to encourage countries to ratify the Ottawa Convention. It will aim to reduce the impact of mines in developing countries through support to well established and effective de-mining organisations. And it will help mine affected countries develop the means to manage and deal with the remaining problems themselves.
From the very beginning of ITEP the United Kingdom has played an active role in test and evaluation of humanitarian demining equipment, heading numerous mechanical demining equipment trials, as well as a series of mine detector trials (see ITEP Work Plan). It further participated in various activities of other ITEP Participants, such as the CEN Workshops on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747) and Demining Machines (CWA 15044) as well as the STEMD project (ITEP Project 2.1.2.3). | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | |
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| August 2007 | | Reliability Tests of Dual Sensors in Humanitarian Demining: proposal for a standard | This is the third and last version of a draft proposal for standardised reliability tests of dual-sensor detectors to be used in humanitarian demining. The first and second versions were published in April and July 2007 respectively.
It is this version which will be validated during the ITEP dual-sensor detector trial scheduled to start at the end of September 2007 at the Benkovac test site in Croatia (ITEP Project 2.4.1.3). Experiences collected during the latter trial should allow for further improvement of the document, ultimately leading to a best practice for reliability tests of dual-sensor detectors. This best practice could then be used as input to the corresponding section on reliability tests of a future CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Dual-Sensor Detectors.
If required, a Microsoft Word version of the document can be obtained from the ITEP Secretariat. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| August 2007 | | Evaluation of the clutter reduction effectivity of demining tools with magnets: update | Recently a trial of hand-held permanent magnet tools was carried out in a live demining operation in Angola. This trial was executed in the framework of the Magnetic Clutter Reduction Efficiency Project (ITEP Project 2.5.2.7). The aim of this project is to quantify the efficiency enhancement, and hence production increase, using hand-held magnets and rakes equipped with magnets in manual demining. The project is financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (representing the Netherlands in ITEP) and is set-up and executed by the Netherlands Organization of Applied Scientific Research (TNO).
Norwegian People Aid (NPA) facilitated the trial in Kwanza Sul Province, Angola, during which 10 deminers worked with the magnets and magnet-rakes for 3 weeks. A first trial was carried out in Cambodia in fall 2006, with the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) as partner.
Although the deminers who worked with the tools are enthusiastic, some tool modifications are necessary. In a two month trial at the end of this year, the modified tools will be tested, again in Angola with NPA as partner organization. | | contact: Arnold Schoolderman | |
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| August 2007 | | ITEP detector trials scheduled to start at the end of September | Two detector trials, a single sensor detector trial and a dual-sensor detector trial will be carried out during September – October 2007 at the Croatian Benkovac test site by the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), supported by several ITEP Partners.
The single detector trial (ITEP Project 2.1.2.8) will test, according to the STEMD – SEE test protocol, several new metal detectors (Ebinger, MineLab, Fuji, Aka) and two stand-alone ground penetrating radar (Geological Prospecting). The advantage of testing these newly available detectors according to the STEMD-SEE test protocol is that the performance results will be directly comparable with the performance data of all other metal detectors tested during the 2006 STEMD trial (ITEP Project 2.1.2.3).
The dual-sensor detector trial will include all currently available dual-sensor detectors and has two major aims. First, the trial is intended to validate the draft test protocol for dual-sensor detectors. Second, it is envisaged that the trial will provide an independent performance assessment of dual-sensor detectors in humanitarian demining as compared to the stand-alone metal detector. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| August 2007 | | Testing of the Mini MineWolf by the German Test Center for Weapons and Munition | Testing of the Mini MineWolf for humanitarian demining applications will start at the end of August and continue throughout September 2007. The trial will be carried out under the ITEP banner by the German Test Center for Weapons and Munition (BWB - WTD 91) in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC - Suffield).
Testing will take place at a test site in Meppen and follow the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines test protocol (CWA 15044: 2004). Performance testing of the Mini MineWolf flail and tiller will be carried out in specially built test lanes containing WORM test targets and fibreboards to determine the machine ground processing depth. Furthermore, the effect of hammer wear on the flail and tiller performance will also be assessed. The performance testing will then be followed by survivability testing of the flail and tiller against life anti tank mines TM-46, TM-62, PT Mi-Ba-III and DM 21.
For more information on the trial please refer to the info in the below link. | | contact: Joachim Sigmund | | More info... |
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| July 2007 | | Trial Design for Testing and Evaluation in Humanitarian Mine Clearance | The aim of this doctoral thesis was to establish a design of experiment for testing and evaluation of the equipment and the methods used in manual mine clearance. Most of the work deals with metal detector tests, while manual excavation tests are also considered. Data were collected during metal detector trials performed under the ITEP umbrella in Germany and Croatia (ITEP Projects 2.1.1.2 and 2.1.1.8), as well as during a trial of manual demining methods in Mozambique organised as part of the GICHD Study of Manual Mine Clearance.
The thesis provides an overview of the trials, together with detailed descriptions and a discussion of the respective trial designs and obtained results. It focuses in particular on the maximum detection height measurement and the detection reliability test, two items prescribed by the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747). It concludes with proposals for a CWA 14747 update of the paragraphs related to the maximum detection height measurement (paragraph 6.3.3) and detection reliability test (paragraph 8.5). | | contact: Mate Gaal | | More info... |
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| July 2007 | | Reliability Tests of Dual Sensors in Humanitarian Demining: proposal for a standard | This is the second version of a draft proposal for standardised reliability tests of dual-sensor detectors to be used in humanitarian demining. The first draft, published in April 2007, initiated many comments and suggestions. These have been taken into account in writing the second draft and are documented in the chapter Comments on Draft 1.
This draft test protocol will be used and validated during the ITEP dual-sensor detector trial scheduled to start at the end of September 2007 at the Benkovac test site in Croatia (ITEP Project 2.4.1.3). | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| June 2007 | | Publication of the report on the demonstration trial of the Bozena-4 and MV-4 flails | In October 2006 an ITEP project was undertaken to do a side by side trial of the Bozena-4 and the MV-4 flails at the International Mine Action Training Centre (IMATC) in Nairobi, Kenya. The trial was designed to examine the performance of both machines in the conditions local to that establishment, and also to attempt to quantify the effects of flail hammer wear on performance. The tests were initially based on the methodology specified in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044). However, many of the standardised test conditions had to be compromised, so that in all but one test, the mine target performance data were discarded as invalid and misleading. Despite the problem with the validity of the mine target performance data useful information was obtained, especially regarding the ability of the machines to consistently penetrate the ground to a given depth.
The report gives a full account of the trial set-up, and the problems encountered for the specific local conditions (extremely hard soil). It further provides performance data for flush buried mine targets as well as detailed information on the obtained ground penetration profiles. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| June 2007 | | The draft CWA for Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment is now available for public comment | The CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) for Test and Evaluation (T&E) of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used in humanitarian mine action has been drafted and approved by a Workshop (CEN Workshop 26) of representatives of interested parties (non governmental organisations, national authorities, producers and users of mine action equipment).
In order to limit the injuries to deminers, effective PPE is required. To achieve this reliably, it is necessary to provide a baseline and a clearly defined set of test and evaluation methods. The CEN Workshop Agreement on PPE provides a scientifically rigorous and repeatable test and evaluation methodology with a focus on the deminers’ needs. Trials based on this methodology should allow for an objective comparison of the PPE equipment on the market.
The draft CWA on T&E of PPE has now been made publicly available for a period of 60 days. Please send your comments to the Workshop secretary, Rolf Rhesslin, before the 8th of August 2007. These comments will then be incorporated in the final CWA document, which is planned to be published by CEN in autumn 2007. | | contact: Rolf Thesslin | | More info... |
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| June 2007 | | CEN Workshop on soil characterisation for MD and GPR performance: update | A plenary meeting of the CEN Workshop 7/Part Two on soil characterisation for metal detector and GPR performance was held on 3 May 2007 at the Royal Military Academy, Brussels. A first draft of the proposed CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA 14747 /Part Two) was reviewed.
The working groups on the definition and measurement of soil properties for metal detectors (WG1) and GPR (WG2) and on soil classification (WG3) are still discussing several issues. The working group (WG4) tasked to investigate the possibility to produce a meaningful and useful standard soil, either for test and evaluation or as a standard reference point for detection capabilities has concluded, based on a review of several studies, that it is impossible at the moment to produce such standard soils.
The next meeting will take place on 2 October 2007 at the CEN Management Centre in Brussels. It is expected that a final draft of the CWA 14747/Part Two will be ready and approved during this meeting. The CEN Workshop Agreement procedure then allows for a two-month public inquiry, after which the CWA should be finalised and published (end 2007 - beginning 2008). | | contact: Yann Yvinec | | More info... |
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| June 2007 | | The proceedings of the BAM-ITEP Workshop on Reliability Tests for Humanitarian Demining are now available. | The Workshop was held on the 30th and 31st of January 2007, at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin, Germany. The main objectives of the workshop were to present the results of the latest metal detector trials and to hold an open discussion on the metal detector testing procedures in view of the planned update of the relevant CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA 14747:2003).
The proceedings include the presentations as well as two workshop summaries. | | contact: Christina Mueller | | More info... |
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| June 2007 | | Overview article of 2007 ITEP test and evaluation activities + trial schedule. | The overview article (see below link) is available in the June 2007 issue of the Mine Action Technology Newsletter produced by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD). It is complemented by the trial schedule listing all trials planned to be executed under the ITEP banner with a starting date prior to September 2007.
The Mine Action Technology Newsletter further includes feature articles on the following topics: A New Protective Face Mask, PPE CEN Workshop Agreement – Process and Outcome, Locally Produced Mini-flails in Northern Iraq, The High Order Burning Box (HOBB), The 4th International Symposium Humanitarian Demining – Mechanical Demining, Sibenik, Croatia. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| May 2007 | | Experimental blast trials of commercially available demining footwear: summary publication | The summary report describes trials executed by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC-Suffield) during 2003. The blast protective capabilities of eight commercially available demining boots were tested against surrogate anti-personnel (AP) blast mines. Two types of boots were investigated: conventional demining boots and platform style boots. The technique used to test all boots was adopted from the NATO methodology for testing personal protective equipment (PPE) and used frangible surrogate lower limbs (FSLLs) to evaluate leg injuries.
The summary report lists the results obtained for all boots and concludes, amongst others, that likely none of the boots tested in the presented trials are acceptable in most humanitarian demining theatres. Furthermore, it is noted that the fragmentation threat posed by the boots will require deminers to protect themselves accordingly with both upper and lower body armour. | | contact: Chris Weickert | | More info... |
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| April 2007 | | Evaluation of commercially available metal detector array systems: update | | In the last year, both the Vallon VMV-8 and the Schiebel VAMIDS systems were evaluated at the Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technology (CCMAT). Both Germany and the Netherlands provided direct assistance during the evaluation (ITEP project 2.1.2.5). Over the next few months, the MineLab 3m STMR system will also be evaluated after which the report will be compiled and released. The report will provide details on the cross-section variability, depth sensitivity (i.e. target detectability), speed dependency, repeatability and noise immunity of metal detector arrays. | | contact: Kevin Russell | | More info... |
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| April 2007 | | Reliability Tests of Dual Sensors in Humanitarian Demining: proposal for a standard | This document is a first proposal for standardised reliability tests of dual sensor detectors to be used in humanitarian demining. It is conceived as a part of a possible future CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on Test and Evaluation of Dual-Sensor Detectors providing guidelines, principles and procedures for test and evaluation, in analogy with the published CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors. Note that evaluation of dual sensor detectors will, similarly as for metal detectors, require several tests of which the reliability test covered in this document, is proposed to be one.
The document is intended to kick-off a public discussion amongst interested parties with the aim of reaching an agreed document by mid-July 2007, in order for it to be taken into account during the methodology trial of dual-sensor detectors planned to be conducted at the Benkovac test site (Croatia) during the last quarter of 2007 (ITEP Project 2.4.1.3).
All comments, suggestions and proposals on the document should be directed to Mate Gaal and Dieter Guelle at BAM. | | contact: Mate Gaal | | More info... |
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| April 2007 | | Test and evaluation results for an ALLU bucket fitted to an armoured front end loader | The test and evaluation report investigates the effectiveness of a system, where a specially designed bucket, manufactured for the purpose of processing soil (ALLU SCH 4-25 crushing and screening bucket), is fitted to a standard Armoured Front End Loader (VOLVO L90 AFEL). The tests, which were conducted by the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) and the Swedish EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC) at the beginning of November 2006, were designed with the following objectives:To assess the ability of the ALLU SCH 4-25 Crushing and Screening bucket to process soil and anti-personnel blast mines,To determine the effectiveness of the ALLU SCH bucket to trigger (activate) or mechanically neutralise anti-personnel landmines,To assess the ability of the ALLU SCH bucket fitted to the L90 AFEL, in the excavation process, To identify durability levels of the ALLU SCH bucket through the detonation of life explosive charges, and,To assess the VOLVO L90 AFEL as an operating platform.
The test report, available at the below link, gives a detailed account of the test set-up, test data, results and findings. The report executive summary provides a good overview of the main results and conclusions. | | contact: John Morrissey | | More info... |
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| April 2007 | | Publication of the final ITEP Work Plan 2007 | The 2007 ITEP Work Plan contains the ongoing and planned test and evaluation activities of all ITEP Participants for 2007. It contains a total of 46 test and evaluation activities, mostly of detection (41 %) and mechanical assistance clearance equipment (26 %). While the number of projects in the detection category remains similar as in previous years, there are significantly fewer projects planned in the mechanical equipment category.
The ITEP Work Plan 2007 now also includes a services project (ITEP Project 7.2.1) under which ITEP Participants can assist third parties that need advise and guidance on test and evaluation methodologies.
The 2007 ITEP Work Plan is complemented by the ITEP Work Plan 2000 – 2006, which summarises all test and evaluation activities by the ITEP Participants since the creation of ITEP that were completed by the end of 2006. Each project description includes conclusions and links to the relevant test reports. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| April 2007 | | The report on the STEMD metal detector field trial in Croatia (STEMD-SEE) is now available | The STEMD-SEE trial (Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors – South East Asia) was the last in the series of STEMD trials. It was conducted by Germany (BAM) with support from other ITEP Participants (Belgium, the Netherlands) and the Croatian Centre for Testing Development and Training (HCR-CTRO).
The main purpose of the STEMD trial was to assess recent commercial off-the-shelf metal detectors using a standard test protocol, and to make these results available to the humanitarian demining community. Secondary objectives were to further evaluate the effects soil and operator on the performance of the detectors, to train local staff in the use of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747) and to further improve the test protocol in view of future trials in which metal detectors are compared with dual-sensor detectors.
The current report includes the performance results for nine metal detectors, of which the following were not evaluated in the previous STEMD trials: Aka – Condor 7252, Aka – Vector 7260, Foerster - MINEX 2FD 4.530, Vallon – VMC1 , Vallon – VMH3CS.
An overview of the STEMD trial with links to the associated test reports can be found in the ITEP project description. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| March 2007 | | Publication of the final report on the Mine Clearing Rake test | Interest has been expressed in seeing the Mine Clearing Rake (MCR) included in the tool box offered to organizations for application in humanitarian demining missions. Given that there is no track of operational utilisation of the MCR the U.S. Army Humanitarian Demining Programme Manager, under the U.S. Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) undertook the task to conduct an operational evaluation trial of the MCR.
The trial was designed to assess the ability of the MCR to uncover and lift mines from two different demining environments. The tests were limited to assess the performance against anti-personnel mines. Three distinct humanitarian demining phases were considered for assessing the system capabilities: area preparation, demining, and quality assurance. The first two were considered poor choices for the MCR as it required driving the primary power source (tractor) over potentially mined ground. The test was designed to assess the potential of the MCR for quality assurance. The report concludes that based on the performance of the MCR during this operational evaluation test, it should not be considered for use in Humanitarian Demining operations. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| February 2007 | | Upcoming CEN Workshop meetings | CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment – CEN Workshop 26
Third technical meeting: 13-14 March 2007, Brussels, Belgium.
Contacts: Tim Lardner, Kaj Horberg
Website
CEN Workshop on Post Mechanical Clearance Requirements – CEN Workshop 28
First technical meeting, 18-21 April 2007, Sibenik, Croatia.
Contact: Alan Macdonald
Website
CEN Workshop on Evaluation Methods for Quality Control (Sampling) after Mechanical Demining.– CEN Workshop 29
First technical meeting, 18-21 April 2007, Sibenik, Croatia.
Contact: Alan Macdonald
Website
CEN Workshop on Soil Characterisation for Metal Detector and GPR performance evaluation – CEN Workshop 07/Part 2
First technical meeting, 3 May 2007, Brussels, Belgium.
Contacts: Yann Yvinec, Sylvie Arbouy
Website | | | |
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| February 2007 | | Publication of the Digger D-2 Pre-Trial Assessment report | The report details the results of a Pre-Trial Assessment (PTA) of the Digger D-2 vegetation and ground-clearing flail. The PTA was carried out by Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies (CCMAT) under the ITEP banner in September 2006.
The PTA is an important part of the testing of a piece of equipment, allowing testing organisations to gather and verify basic data quickly and cost effectively before committing significant ressources to a full test of the equipment following the CWA 15044 guidelines. The key objectives of the PTA were to perform tests and use best engineering judgement in order to present basic evidence as to the maturity and applicability of the equipment in relation to current technology and methods used in humanitarian demining. Factors analysed were, amongst others, the handling and mobility in different types of terrain (slopes, gradients, obstacles), the remote control, the ground flailing, the vegetation clearance and the logistics.
The PTA highlighted a number of positive and negative characteristics of the machine, and further resulted in some recommendations to the manufacturer. It was concluded that the Digger D-2 has the potential to be a valuable tool for the demining community and that further tests/field trials by a prospective user are recommended. Full testing of the Digger D-2 according to the CWA 15044 test protocol (performance, survivability) is planned for 2007. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| February 2007 | | ITEP activity updates published in the Mine Action Technology Newsletter | The fifth issue of the Mine Action Technology Newsletter (see below link), produced by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) includes, amongst others, an update on ITEP activities as well as two feature articles on ITEP projects:- The Explosive Harvesting Project, executed by Golden West Humanitarian Foundation with assistance from the US Department of Defence Humanitarian Demining R&D program (ITEP project 6.2.11), and
- The Magnetic Clutter Reduction Project (ITEP project 2.5.2.7), carried out by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence.
The Newsletter also incorporates an article on how to measure the effects of soils on metal detectors. | | contact: Noel Mulliner | | More info... |
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| February 2007 | | Publication of a document on test and evaluation of dual-sensor detectors | This document contains two reports from the project Test and Evaluation of Dual Sensor Mine Detectors based on a combination of Metal Detector and Ground Penetration Radar (TEDS, ITEP Project 2.4.2.7). The TEDS project was carried out by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC/JRC), a former ITEP Participant.
The first report describes demonstrations and basic functional tests of the HSTAMIDS, MINEHOUND TM , SHRIMT Model 90 and ALIS dual-sensor mine detectors. The second report documents the ITEP-endorsed field trial of the MINEHOUND TM (ITEP Project 2.4.2.4) in Bosnia during 2005 to which the EC/JRC contributed.
Although the original purpose of the project, a comparative test and evaluation of available dual sensor mine detectors, could not be met due to the restricted availability of the HSTAMIDS and delay in the procurement of the MINEHOUND TM, the document presents a useful overview of the available dual sensor mine detector technology and their perceived level of maturity (technology readiness). It further includes a list of important conclusions, lessons learnt, and suggestions for future test and evaluation of these systems. | | contact: Adam Lewis | | More info... |
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| January 2007 | | Summary article on the in-country trial of the MV-4 and Bozena-4 flails | | The article provides an overview of the in-country trial of the DOK-ING MV-4 and WAY INDUSTRY Bozena 4 flails which took place in October 2006 at the International Mine Action Training Centre (IMATC) in Nairobi. The article focuses mainly on the test and evaluation lessons learned during this trial. The final trial report, which is to be published soon, will include more detailed data about the machine performances obtained and the ground penetration profiles measured. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| January 2007 | | Publication of the October 2006 APOPO-PARADIS trial report | The report describes a field trial of a humanitarian demining approach combining the APOPO rat detection system with the PDA based geo-graphical information system PARADIS.
PARADIS is a geographical information system that has been developed to improve the planning of Humanitarian Demining campaigns. It is now also being adapted to assist during the field data collection and decision making process of the APOPO rat detection system. Further development and testing of the system is planned for 2007. | | contact: Sebastien Delhay | | More info... |
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| January 2007 | | Final announcement of the BAM-ITEP Workshop on Reliability Tests for Demining, 30-31.01.2007 | The Workshop will be held on the 30th and 31st of January 2007, at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin, Germany.
The main workshop objectives are: to present the results of the latest metal detector trials (STEMD-SEE, October 2006) providing a state of the art report on the currently avaialble COTS metal detectors, to hold an open discussion on the testing procedures, based on new knowledge and testing experiences from the ITEP community as well as other testing entities, to formulate the updates for the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors to be implemented in 2007, and to initiate discussions on a protocol to test dual-sensor detection systems consisting of a metal detector and a ground penetrating radar.
The Workshop is aimed at the test and evaluation community, equipment manufacturers, demining organisations and end users.
Registration for the Workshop is now possible at the BAM webshop website. | | contact: Christina Mueller | | More info... |
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| January 2007 | | Publication of a report on the incorporation of acoustic vibration sensing in the HSTAMIDS | CyTerra Corporation has developed and integrated a wideband radar vibrometer mode into the Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS). Modeled after a radar vibrometer, this device uses the HSTAMIDS ground penetrating radar(GPR) to measure and classify vibration signatures of objects buried within a few inches of the ground surface. As modifications to the hardware and software were implemented in stages over the course of the project, they are not fully integrated within the HSTAMIDS architecture.
A data collection was performed in 2005 with as goal to collect acoustic vibration data from a variety of mine and clutter types to support the evaluation of hardware and algorithm performance, development and training of the target classifier, and ultimately, to assess the feasibility of implementing a handheld vibrometer mode within the HSTAMIDS.
Analysis of data collected using a trained classification algorithm shows that mines can be distinguished from clutter better than 85% of the time, while maintaining the HSTAMIDS initial detection at 100%, and hence validates the feasibility of implementing a handheld radar vibrometer within the HSTAMIDS platform. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| December 2006 | | Publication of the report on the STEMD metal detector laboratory tests | The report describes laboratory tests of the commercial off the shelf metal detectors that were assessed in the field during the STEMD Laos and Mozambique trials. The experimental work reported was conducted by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC) with assistance of staff from GICHD, BAM and QinetiQ (ITEP project 2.1.2.3) at the JRC Ispra test site in Northern Italy during the period November 2003 to January 2006.
Testing was carried out according to the methods of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747: 2003). Results for the in-air and in-soil sensitivity tests are given, including the effects of speed, temperature, mutual interference, repeatability and drift. Tests of pinpointing and target resolution, and ergonomic and operational aspects are also reported. The report further provides information relevant to the following specific environments and threats: low-metal mines, small UXO items, wide range of target depths, soils with uncooperative magnetic properties, high and low temperatures. | | contact: Adam Lewis | | More info... |
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| December 2006 | | Publication of the European Commission Final Report: Metal Detector Trials - Test Results and Their Interpretation. | | The document collects all information split amongst various reports on testing eddy-current metal detectors published during the period 1997 - 2006. It lists all test campaigns that have taken place, analyses from a technical point of view the information collected during these campaigns, and evaluates the main factors influencing the metal detector performance. It also draws a series of conclusions and provides recommendations for future testing. Laboratory trials as well as in field trials have been included. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| December 2006 | | CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (CW 26): update | The second meeting of CEN Workshop (WS) on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was held at the CEN/CENELEC meeting centre, Brussels, from the 5th to the 6th of December 2006. Prior to the meeting a second draft of a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) was distributed to the WS participants and the main objective of the meeting was to further develop this draft document.
The WS participants presented studies which constituted the basis for discussions and decisions on 1) the position of the deminer to be adopted during blast testing, 2) test methodology aspects to be considered in testing PPE ballistic protection, and 3) test methodologies to be considered for PPE ergonomic testing.
It was agreed that while blast and ballistic testing will be done in a laboratory environment, three levels of testing should be recognised during the ergonomic testing: laboratory testing, mission oriented testing and field testing. Testing of PPE by manufacturers will be addressed by including general guidance on test methods for performance assessment and verification.
The third and last technical meeting will be held, again at the CEN/CENELEC meeting centre from the 13th to the 14th of March 2007. Prior to that meeting a draft of the CWA will be electronically distributed among the WS Participants. In the meantime, further investigation will take place into the optical aspects of face protection with the aim to set minimum optical quality requirements. | | contact: Tim Lardner | | More info... |
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| November 2006 | | Start of the CEN Workshop on soil characterisation for MD and GPR performance evaluation | The CEN Workshop (WS) on soil characterisation for metal detector (MD) and GPR performance evaluation (CW7) has started. It is open to anyone with a relevant interest or expertise. The WS is to produce a second part for the CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747 part 2) with the following objectives, as agreed upon during the kick-off meeting on 15 November 2006:to establish the state of the art of the effect of soil properties on MD, GPR and dual sensor detectors combining MD and GPR;to create quantitative characterisation of soil properties relevant to MD and GPR performance;to provide a methodology for measuring the selected soil properties;to create a classification of soils for controlled conditions to help estimate the degree to which the soil properties affect detectors; to provide a soil measuring and classification system easy to apply in the field.
Four Working Groups have been established to draft different parts of the document:Definition and measurement of soil properties for metal detectors;Definition and measurement of soil properties for GPR;Soil characterisation;Feasibility of building standard test soils
Anyone interested in joining the Workshop and/or any Working Group can contact the (Secretariat) or the WS Chair given in the link below. | | contact: Yann Yvinec | | More info... |
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| November 2006 | | ITEP observers attend the CMAC trials of Japanese dual-sensor detection equipment. | On invitation by the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) ITEP representatives visited the tests of Japanese dual-sensor detectors taking place at the CMAC Regional Centre in Siem Reap during the second half of November 2006. These tests were part of a larger trial campaign, undertaken by CMAC and sponsored by the Government of Japan, in which the performance and suitability of demining machines and mine detectors manufactured by Japanese companies and research institutions were tested and evaluated.
Four different dual sensor detection systems were taking part in the trial: two hand-held and two vehicle-mounted detectors. All tested systems are still under development. The hand-held systems were the Advanced Landmine and Imaging System (ALIS) and the Mitsui Fusion Sensing detector, both combining a metal detector and a Ground Penetrating Radar system. The vehicle mounted systems were the Gryphon buggy, equipped with the ALIS detector and the LAMDAR-III Ground Penetrating Radar, designed to be mounted on the Mine Hunter Vehicle (MHV2). More information on the ALIS, Gryphon and the LAMDAR-III can be found, amongst others, in the Guidebook on Detection Technologies and Systems for Humanitarian Demining.
The ITEP representatives observed the trials and provided observations to CMAC without prejudice to the trial or the equipment under trial. It is expected that the final results will be made available by CMAC upon completion of the test data analysis. | | contact: Arnold Schoolderman | | More info... |
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| November 2006 | | Announcement of the second meeting of CEN Workshop 26. | The second technical meeting of the CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will take place from the 5th to the 6th of December 2006 at the CEN/CENELEC Meeting Centre in Brussels, Belgium. The first technical meeting took place at the beginning of September at the GICHD and produced a first draft of the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on Test and Evaluation of PPE. This draft is now available at the CEN WS 26 website which is managed by the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS).
All interested parties can consult the draft document and provide comments to the Workshop Chairs (Tim Lardner, Kaj Horberg). Access to the draft CWA and supporting documents, as well as to the agenda of the upcoming meeting, can be obtained by registering for the Workshop. To register and obtain all needed login details, please send an e-mail to Christine Allanson stating your name, address, organisation and e-mail address. | | contact: Tim Lardner | | More info... |
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| October 2006 | | Pre Trial Assessment of the Digger D2. | On the 19th and 20th of September 2006, a Pre-Trial Assessment (PTA) of the Digger D2 vegetation and ground-clearing flail was carried out by Canada (CCMAT) at and near the Digger DTR offices and workshop in Tavannes, Switzerland. The key objectives of the PTA were to perform tests and use best engineering judgement in order to present basic evidence as to the maturity and applicability of the equipment in relation to current technology and methods used in humanitarian demining. Factors analysed were, amongst others, the handling and mobility in different types of terrain (slopes, gradients, obstacles), the remote control, the ground flailing, the vegetation clearance and the logistics.
The CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044) recommends a PTA prior to submitting the machine to a full testing scheme. A PTA is used as a filter to ensure that the machine in question is sufficiently capable, and the design sufficiently mature that it is worth proceeding to the next steps in the CWA 15044 (performance testing, survivability testing, and acceptance testing), which are much more expensive in terms of time, labour and resources.
The final PTA report for the Digger D2 is expected to be released before the end of 2006. | | contact: Geoff Coley | |
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| October 2006 | | Publication of the MINEHOUND TM 2005 - 2006 trial summary report. | The report summarises the 2005 - 2006 trial campaign with the MINEHOUND TM, an advanced technology, dual sensor, hand-held landmine detector system. The trials were funded by the UK Department for International Development (DfID), in collaboration with the German Foreign Ministry (Auswärtiges Amt), carried out by ERA Technology with assistance from Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and Norwegian people Aid (NPA). The trials were invigilated by representatives of the International Test and Evaluation Programme for Humanitarian Demining
The main aim of the trials was to determine the reduction in false alarm rate that can be obtained when a dual sensor detector comprising a metal detector (MD) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) is used in a minefield. The trials, which took place over 8-week periods in Cambodia, Bosnia and Angola, assessed the side by side performance of MINEHOUND TM in the actual minefield when compared with the existing in-service metal detector.
Over 3,000 alarm encounters in live minefields were recorded. 100% of the mines encountered in live minefields were detected by deminers using MINEHOUND and an overall improvement of greater than 5:1 in false alarms was obtained compared with the in-service metal detectors.
The MINEHOUND TM is now being jointly prepared by ERA Technology and Vallon GmbH, for product release at the end of 2006. | | contact: David Daniels | | More info... |
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| October 2006 | | Demonstration trial of Bozena-4 and MV-4 flails. | During the first half of October 2006, the International Test and Evaluation Programme for Humanitarian Demining (ITEP) set up an in-country demonstration trial of two Commercial-Off-The-Shelf flail machines, the DOK-ING MV-4 and the WAY INDUSTRY Bozena 4. Participants from Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Belgium carried out the trial at the premises of the International Mine Action Training Centre (IMATC) in Nairobi, Kenya, which also provided all logistical support.
The main trial objectives were to provide information on the possible use of the flails in environmental conditions similar as those in Southern Sudan, and to evaluate the effect of hammer wear on the flail performance. Furthermore, the trial was intended to provide an answer to whether the performance testing guidelines of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044) could be used for testing in-country, outside specialised purpose-built test facilities.
The trial report is currently under development and is foreseen to be published at the end of 2006. | | contact: Geoff Coley | |
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| October 2006 | | Publication of the German project HuMin/MD midterm project summary. | This document provides an overview and midterm summary of the German project network Metal Detectors for Humanitarian Demining: Development Potentials for data Analysis and Measurement Techniques - HuMin/MD (ITEP Work Plan, Project 2.1.1.7), which started in October 2003.
The aim of the research carried out by the project network is to reduce the number of false alarms produced by metal detectors used for humanitarian demining. To achieve this, the project network primarily develops the potential of secondary mathematical methods (local 3D imaging and signal analysis) for analyzing data obtained from conventionally-made metal detectors. In addition, work associated with soil influences and the optimization of measurement methods is also carried out. In total, ten research institutes working in the fields of applied and numerical mathematics, electrical engineering, geophysics and non-destructive testing are participating in this project network.
In the course of the research project, several new results have been obtained, especially in the field of local 3D imaging and signal analysis. These results are presented concisely and a list of references is given for the reader who wants to find out more information on particular topics. | | contact: Hartmut Eigenbrod | | More info... |
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| October 2006 | | BAM-ITEP Workshop on Reliability Tests for Demining, 30-31.01.2007. Call for papers. | The Workshop is planned to take place on the 30th and 31st of January 2007, at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin, Germany.
The main workshop objectives are: to present the results of the latest metal detector trials (STEMD-SEE, October 2006) providing a state of the art report on the currently avaialble COTS metal detectors, to hold an open discussion on the testing procedures, based on new knowledge and testing experiences from the ITEP community as well as other testing entities, to formulate the updates for the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors to be implemented in 2007, and to initiate discussions on a protocol to test dual-sensor detection systems consisting of a metal detector and a ground penetrating radar.
The organisers invite entities with experience in test and evaluation of metal detectors and/or dual-sensor detectors to join the discussion and submit a paper. Registration will be possible soon at the BAM webshop website special page. | | contact: Christina Mueller | |
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| October 2006 | | Open invitation to the CEN Workshop on soil characterisation for electromagnetic sensors used in humanitarian demining. | At the time of publication of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747 - 2003), it was stated that further work was needed on the understanding of the effect of the soil on the metal detector performance and how to best characterise the soil in this context. Since the publication of the CWA 14747, there has been a considerable amount of research on the topic, as well as a series of COTS metal detector trials looking into the effect of soil on the probability of detection and false alarm rates. It is now proposed to add a second part to the CWA 14747 which will be dedicated to soil characterisation
Moreover, as a number of proto-type dual sensor detectors, combining Metal Detector (MD) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), are currently being tested for use in humanitarian demining, it is intended to expand the soil characterisation work to also include GPR detectors.Two Working Groups are therefore envisaged: MD and GPR.
The kick-off meeting will be held on the 15th of November 2006 at the CEN Management Centre in Brussels. During this meeting, participants will consider and adopt the Business Plan, confirm the proposed Chairman and Secretariat, and set up a Programming Committee. For registration, please use the form given in the below link. | | contact: Yann Yvinec | | More info... |
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| October 2006 | | Start of the South East Europe metal detector trial (STEMD-SEE). | This trial, which started during the last week of September, is a continuation of the STEMD trial (ITEP Work Plan Project 2.1.2.3), originally conducted by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, and now carried out under the ITEP banner by BAM, Germany with support from Belgium and the Netherlands. The trial will use the latest knowledge in trial design and include several tests from the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747 - 2003).
Overall, twelve different metal detectors will be tested from six manufacturers (CEIA S.p.A., Ebinger GmbH, Inst. Dr. Foerster GmbH and Co. KG, Minelab Pty. Ltd., Schiebel Elektronische Geräte GmbH, and Vallon GmbH). The latest detector models will be included as well as additional detectors from China and Russia. The main trial aim is to evaluate the probability of detection during blind trials, the maximum detection depth for a typical local target, and the pinpointing accuracy. At the same time, local demining organisations and the Croatian Centre for Testing Development and Training (HCR-CTRO) will be trained in the use of the CWA 14747. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| September 2006 | | ITEP mechanical equipment performance testing in Croatia: update | Trials with the Bozena-5 flail, MineWolf tiller and MV-10 flail and tiller were carried out during May-June and September by Canada (CCMAT) in collaboration with the Croatian Centre for Testing Development and Training (HCR-CTRO) at the Cerovac test site. All performance tests were executed using the guidelines described in the CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044) and the newly designed anti-personnel mine simulator target system WORM (Wirelessly Operated Reproduction Mine). Performance tests were then followed by a one-day HCR-CTRO designed acceptance test, which effectively doubled as a CWA 15044 survivability test. The MineWolf was not tested on its survivability, as this machine has already been extensively tested against explosive threats.
It was originally planned to also trial the MV-20. However, this trial had to be suspended because of test layout logistics, but might be carried out in the future by the HCR-CTRO.Trial reports are currently under development. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| September 2006 | | CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (CW 26): update | The Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) are co-chairing the CEN Workshop 26 on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The aim of the workshop is to establish recognised and clearly defined specifications for vital criteria to be tested and appropriate testing methodologies for PPE for deminers.
The first technical meeting was hosted by the GICHD on 5-6 September 2006. The meeting was attended by approximately 25 participants, representing PPE manufacturers, end-users and test establishments coming from different countries. There were also participants from the ITEP Nations Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. It was agreed that the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on Test and Evaluation of PPE will deal with the threat of AP blast mines for the frontline deminer. Results and lessons learned from extensive tests that were already carried out by Canada and the United States will be used as a basis for the CWA. A first draft of the CWA is currently being developed, which will be distributed for discussion during the next Workshop meeting.
The second technical meeting is planned for 5-6 December 2006 at the CEN Management Centre in Brussels. The process should to be completed by mid – 2007. To take part in the upcoming technical meeting, please send an e-mail to Christine Allanson. | | contact: Tim Lardner | | More info... |
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| August 2006 | | ITEP observers attend the CMAC trials of Japanese mechanical demining equipment. | Japanese demining equipment, originally developed for deployment in Afghanistan, is currently being tested by the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) in order to assess their suitability for demining operations in Cambodia. The tested equipment consists of mechanical demining machines (trial period: July – October 2006), as well as dual sensor mine detectors (trial period: October – November 2006). More information on the Japanese equipment and the associated development tests can be found in the Mine Action Technology Newsletter, Issue No. 4 and the report, compiled by the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS).
On invitation by CMAC, ITEP representatives attended the trials of the mechanical demining equipment during a brief visit in August 2006. They provided observations and comments to CMAC without prejudice to the trial or the equipment under trial. It is expected that the results will be made available to everyone after completion of the trials.
Plans also exist for ITEP representatives to attend the dual sensor detector trials, which will take place later this year. | | contact: Chris Weickert | | More info... |
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| August 2006 | | Evaluation of the clutter reduction effectivity of demining tools with magnets. | Recently, the project Magnetic Clutter Reduction Effectivity (ITEP Project 2.5.2.7) has started. The aim of this project is to quantify the effectivity enhancement, and hence productivity increase in manual demining when hand-held magnets and rakes equipped with magnets are used.
The project, agreed by UNMAS and GICHD, is financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (representing the Netherlands in ITEP) and is executed by TNO, the Netherlands Organization of Applied Scientific Research. The Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) will participate in the first data-acquisition phase, to be executed in a live demining operation at Koh Ker, Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, in October – November 2006. | | contact: Arnold Schoolderman | |
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| August 2006 | | Publication of the report on the 2006 Japanese GPR-EMI Dual Sensor System trials. | The report presents and discusses the development trials that were carried out during February - March 2006 at the HCR-CTRO test site Benkovac with several mine detection systems developed by the Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST). The main objectives of the Croatia -Japan joint trial were to confirm the performance of imaging dual sensor systems, combining ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic inductive (EMI) sensors, and to provide reliable data as a basis for future development work. Most of the dual-sensors tested were vehicle-mounted.
To compare the performance of the Japanese dual-sensors with the probability of detection and false alarm rate obtained with existing metal detectors, a benchmark test was run by Germany (BAM) with input from the United Kingdom (QinetiQ) under the ITEP umbrella (ITEP Project, 2.4.2.10). More detailed results of this benchmark test are expected to be published later this year. | | contact: Jun Ishikawa | | More info... |
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| August 2006 | | Detection trials with conditioned bees at a CCMAT test site. | Trials of the bee explosive detection system, currently under development and funded by the US Department of Defense, were scheduled for the week of 21-25 August 2006 at the CCMAT Mine Pen enclosure (ITEP Work Plan, Project 2.3.2.6). Regrettably, the trials were suspended. Updated schedule information will be posted when available.
The main trial objective is to determine if bees conditioned on site can reliably detect buried landmines. Freshly buried mines, as well as mines that have been buried for several years are available for detection. Local bees will be conditioned and then released and tracked, using LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging technology). Conditioning and tracking will be done by BeeResearch (Dr. Jerry Bromenshenk, University of Montana). More information on the bee explosive detection system and results of previous tests can be found in the article accessible via the below link. | | contact: John McFee | | More info... |
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| August 2006 | | Methodology study on trial design for testing metal detectors: summary of results | | The paper, available in the link below, will be presented at the 9th European Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, Berlin, September 25-29, 2006. It discusses the experiment design for test and evaluation of metal detectors based on the experiences gained during several field tests performed by BAM under the ITEP umbrella from 2003 to 2005 (ITEP Work Plan, Projects 2.1.1.1 and 2.1.1.8). More in particular, it provides information on the May 2005 test methodology trial, performed in Croatia at the Croatian Mine Action Centre – Centre for Testing, Training and Development (HCR-CTRO) Benkovac test site. This last trial (ITEP Work Plan, Projects 2.1.2.8) in the series was conducted according to the procedures prescribed in the CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747:2003), with as main aim to verify the proposed test procedures and formulate improvements where necessary. The final report on the last trial will also be published soon. | | contact: Mate Gaal | | More info... |
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| July 2006 | | Publication of some results obtained with dual sensor detectors during various 2005-2006 trial campaigns. | The fourth issue of the Mine Action Technology Newsletter (see below link), produced by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), includes two feature articles which provide some results of the 2005 – 2006 trials that have been carried out with the dual sensor mine detectors MINEHOUND TM (ITEP Work Plan, Project 2.4.2.4) and HSTAMIDS (ITEP Work Plan, Project 2.4.2.6). Both dual sensor systems integrate a metal detector and a ground penetrating radar, and have as main objective to better distinguish between the detection of mines and clutter, i.e. to decrease the false alarm rate. The ultimate aim is to increase clearance rates while maintaining (and possibly improving) the probability of mine detection.
More detailed reports on the obtained results during the above mentioned trials are expected to be published later this year. Furthermore, the 2007 dual-sensor detector trials, envisaged by Germany (ITEP Work Plan, Project 2.4.1.3) should allow to make a state of the art assessment of the available dual sensor performances, as well as to compare these performances to those of the currently available metal detector fleet. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| July 2006 | | Publication of the 2004 HCR-CTRO MV- 20 test report. | During October 2004, the HCR-CTRO tested the MV-20 mine clearance equipment (flail and tiller) in order to gain information about its operational capabilities for mine clearance in Croatia. The report of these acceptance trials has now been translated into English and is available at the ITEP website.
It was originally planned to also include the MV-20 demining machine in the ITEP 2006 test series of mechanical demining equipment conducted at the HCR-CTRO test site Cerovac (see previous news item). The MV-20 trial had to be suspended because of test layout logistics, but might be carried out in the future by the HCR-CTRO. | | contact: Ivan Steker | | More info... |
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| July 2006 | | The systematic South East Europe metal detector trial is under way. | Germany (BAM) is currently preparing a systematic metal detector trial for the South East Europe region (SEE). The trial is planned to take place during September - October 2006 and is the final stage of the STEMD trials (ITEP Work Plan, Project 2.1.2.3), which started at the end of 2004.
The first regional STEMD trial (reliability trial) was carried out in Laos during October-November 2004. The final report is available on the ITEP website.
The second regional trial took place in May 2005 in Mozambique. The associated final report is also available on the ITEP website.
The third and last regional trial, originally planned to take place in autumn 2005 was postponed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC/EC) due to contractual difficulties. It will now be carried out, with another ITEP Participant as coordinator, during October 2006 in Croatia at the HCR-CTRO Benkovac test facility.
The SEE trial will be a reliability trial, and will include metal detectors that were tested in the previous two STEMD trials, as well as Russian and Chinese detectors which have not been evaluated previously for humanitarian demining purposes. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| July 2006 | | Update on the Explosive Harvesting Facility Project. | The US Humanitarian Demining / Golden West Foundation Explosive Harvesting Facility Project (EHP, US ITEP Project 6.2.11) has over the last six months progressed from development into refinement. The initial project design was based on using industry standard equipment for cutting explosive loaded munitions with some specialised tools that were fabricated to complete the process (see EHP Newsletter September 2005).
In the EHP Newsletter November 2005 , the EHP team reported on its findings that recovering explosives from excess ordnance and constructing disposal charges can be safely accomplished in a field environment.
The team has recently been focussing their efforts on assessing if the equipment is the most cost effective and supportable means to safely accomplish this task. The major issues analysed were cost, safety, supportability, size and weight. More information on this recent work can be found in the latest EHP newsletter, available at the below link.
There are still some development issues required prior to the EHP becoming a functional cost effective package. The US Humanitarian Demining Program has provided funds to continue the R&D through 2006 to complete these tasks.The Golden West team can also continue training the CMAC counterparts in the EHP specialised skills while providing support and assistance to the demining, EOD and stockpile reduction efforts in Cambodia. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| 4 July 2006 | | The EC/JRC ends its ITEP membership | The European Commision (EC), represented by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), has ended its ITEP membership because of changing priorities in their strategy and related work plan. The JRC decided to end its support to test and evaluation in the context of humanitarian mine clearance at the end of 2005, and is looking to focus on new challenges in the context of security from 2006 onwards.
The CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (ITEP Work Plan, project 2.1.1.1 ) and the Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (STEMD, ITEP Work Plan, project 2.1.2.3 ) are amongst the important activities that have been led by the JRC/EC under the ITEP umbrella. A follow-up of the latter activities is envisaged, with other ITEP Participants taking up the co-ordinating role. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| June 2006 | | Open invitation to the CEN Workshop on the Test & Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (CW 26) | This is an open invitation to those with an interest in the Test and Evaluation (T&E) of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to participate in the workshop with the aim of establishing a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on the T&E of PPE. In order to achieve a practical and valuable test protocol, participation is needed of field operators, manufacturers and those with experience in T&E.
The first CEN Workshop meeting is to be held at the GICHD in Geneva, Switzerland on the 5th and 6th of September 2006 to design the basis for the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA), such as specifications of risk, ergonomic criteria etc. Test methodologies will also be discussed.
The second CEN Workshop meeting is planned to be held from the 4th to 6th of December 2006 at a location to be agreed at the first workshop. During this meeting the first draft of the CWA will be developed.
The third CEN Workshop meeting, if required, is scheduled to be held in March 2007. The exact date and place are still to be determined
To register your interest in participating in this workshop, please send an e-mail to the below contact stating your name, organisation, postal and e-mail address, and telephone number. You will then be given access to the CEN WS26 website of the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS), and provided with the necessary information about the meetings and how to plan your travel and accommodation. | | contact: Christine Allansson | | More info... |
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| June 2006 | | Summary of ITEP 2006 test and evaluation activities. | | The summary provides an update on ITEP collaborative test activities that were initiated during 2005 and continue in 2006, including also some of the new test and evaluation efforts that are envisaged by various ITEP Participants. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| June 2006 | | Updating the CWA on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747) | Plans exist to update the CWA 14747 protocol on test and evaluation of metal detectors. Since its publication in June 2003, the test guidelines provided by the CWA 14747 have been used during several metal detector trials. Further investigation into the effects of soils on metal detector performance and the most suitable way to measure detection reliability took also place.
The research results and testing experiences gained over the last three years, were discussed at international workshops, such as the BAM/GICHD Workshop on Reliability Tests for Demining, December 2005 and the 3rd International Symposium Humanitarian Demining 2006: Mine and UXO Detection. A list of CWA 14747 updates, which is available at the below link, is now being proposed.
Feedback and comments on the proposed CWA 14747 updates are very welcome. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| June 2006 | | The 2006 meetings of the CEN Workshop 26 are now confirmed. | The kick-off meeting of the CEN Workshop 26 (HMA-PPE) on Humanitarian Mine Action – Test and Evaluation – Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was held in Brussels, Belgium on the 8th of June 2006. The Business Plan was examined and the Workshop action plan milestones were approved.
The two first meetings will take place at a venue still to be decided on the following dates: 5 - 6 September 2006, and 5 - 6 December 2006.
The Swedish Member of CEN, the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS), was confirmed as Secretariat to the CEN Workshop, in the person of Mr. Rolf Thesslin.
Mr. Tim Lardner of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and Mr. Kaj Horberg of the SIS were confirmed as Workshop Co-Chairs. | | contact: Kaj Horberg | | More info... |
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| May 2006 | | Update of the ITEP Standards page | | The ITEP standards page lists available standards, test protocols and methodologies for test and evaluation of humanitarian demining equipment. An article has been added, detailing the CEN Workshop procedure and informing on the published CEN Workshop Agreements for test and evaluation of humanitarian demining equipment. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| May 2006 | | Canada, in collaboration with Sweden and Croatia, carried out trials with the Bozena 5 at the beginning of May 2006. | ITEP Partners Canada and Sweden, in collaboration with Croatia, carried out a first set of tests with the Bozena 5 medium flail (ITEP Work Plan, Project 3.2.33) at the Croatian test site Cerovac. Completion of the trial is planned at the beginning of June. The Bozena 5 trial aims to follow the test procedures laid out in the CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15 044). The main objectives are to assess the performance and survivability of the machine and to assist the Croatian Mine Action Centre – Centre for Testing, Development and Training (HCR-CTRO) in setting up these trials according to CWA 15 044 guidelines.
The Bozena-5 trials are part of a series of trials that will be executed by Canada, in collaboration with ITEP Participants and Croatia at the Cerovac test site during 2006. Upcoming trials are: MV-20 (June 2006, ITEP Work Plan Project 3.2.36), MineWolf tiller (July 2006, ITEP Work Plan, Project 3.2.34) and MV-10 flail + tiller (September 2006, ITEP Work Plan, Project 3.2.35). Next to completing the data set on baseline CWA 15044 machine performance and survivability characteristics, the tests are also intended to further evaluate the CWA 15044 test protocol in order to formulate an update of this protocol at the beginning of 2007. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| April 2006 | | Kick-off for the CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment: 8th of June 2006. | The kick-off meeting for the CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protection Equipment (WS 26) will be held on the 8th of June 2006 in Brussels at the CEN Management Centre. The CEN WS 26 aims at establishing test and evaluation specifications for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA). The draft agenda and the draft Business Plan for the meeting are available at the CEN WS 26 webpage indicated below.
Parties interested in participating in the kick-off meeting, should register using the registration form available at the CEN WS 26 webpage. | | contact: Kaj Horberg | | More info... |
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| April 2006 | | Publication of the 2003 US trial results with the High-Performance Hand-Held Foamed Nitromethane System (NMX-foam). | Previous field trials in Kosovo and Cambodia with the old Hand-Held Explosive Foam System, confirmed the validity of the Foamed Nitromethane (NM) concept, but identified certain weaknesses. A requirement emerged for a new foamed NM formulation, which retained the basic characteristics of the hand-held system and builds upon its strengths. The new system and formulation that was developed, called NMX-foam (for NitroMethane eXplosive foam), develops more explosive power to attack blast mines and incorporates the modifications recommended from trials with the old system in order to maximize its practicality.
A two day trial was conducted in April 2003 for proper application of the NMX-foam against a variety of Anti-Personnel (AP) and Anti-Tank (AT) mines. This trial confirmed the improved effectiveness of the new NMX-foam System against both thin-walled and thick-walled AP mines, as well as some types of AT mines. Results suggest that thin-walled AP mines of any type can be destroyed by a single can or less of NMX-foam. AT mines and thick-walled (fragmentation) AP mines generally require one to two cans to ensure complete detonation. Operational tests are needed to optimize the use of NMX-foam regarding different combinations of charge size and placement.
Results of more recent tests with the NMX-foam System can be found in the April 2005 report Operational Evaluation Test of Mine Neutralisation Systems. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| April 2006 | | The Proceedings of the GICHD-BAM Workshop on Reliability Tests for Demining are now available. | During the workshop, which took place in Berlin from the 15th to the 16th of December 2005, the results of a series of trials were presented and the related test methodologies were discussed. The main outcome of these discussions was an agreed list of recommended changes to the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747: 2003).
All presentations, together with the discussion topics and main conclusions, can be consulted at the below link. | | contact: Christina Mueller | | More info... |
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| March 2006 | | The final ITEP Work Plan 2006 is now available. | The draft version, which was published earlier (February 2006) has now been replaced with the final 2006 version, endorsed by all ITEP Participants during a meeting of the ITEP Executive Committee (Brussels, Belgium, 15 -16 March 2006).
The 2006 Work Plan contains the ongoing and planned test and evaluation activities of all ITEP Participants for 2006. It contains a total of 67 test and evaluation activities, mostly of detection and mechanical assistance clearance equipment. The testing of dual sensors and metal detectors, which started last year, continues with a focus on the processing of the 2005 trial data and the drafting/updating of the associated test protocols. As for the mechanical demining equipment, development and testing of equipment and tools is being continued and a series of new tests are being planned, with as secondary objective the collection of feedback on the 2004 test protocol (CWA 15044). In view of a 2007 update of the latter test protocol, a Workshop on the use of the CWA 15044 is also planned, to be held at the International Mine Action Training Centre in Nairobi during October 2006. Other 2006 activities are, for instance, an evaluation of metal detector arrays, the assessment of an area reduction system and the start of a CEN Workshop for test and evaluation of personal protective equipment used in humanitarian demining. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| March 2006 | | Postponement of the kick-off meeting for the CEN Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment (WS 26). | The WS 26 kick-off meeting was originally planned to take place during the first half of April 2006, but has now been postponed, due to administrative reasons, until the 2nd week of June 2006 (7 - 9 June 2006).
The CEN Workshop 26 (WS 26) aims at establishing test and evaluation specifications for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA). The draft business plan for WS 26 can be viewed at the website listed below. The Workshop, in which several ITEP Participants plan to take part, will be co-chaired by the GICHD and Swedish Standard Institute (SIS).
Parties interested in participating in the kick-off meeting, should register using the registration form available at the CEN WS 26 webpage. | | contact: Gaid Legall | | More info... |
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| March 2006 | | Test reports can now be obtained as hardcopy or on CD-ROM. | | All documents available in the ITEP reports database, can be obtained as a hardcopy or as an electronic copy on CD-ROM from the ITEP Secretariat. Please send an email to the ITEP Secretariat with your request or fill out the request form available at the below link. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| February 2006 | | Publication of the 2003 US trial results with the Propellant Torch System (PTS). | The report describes the trial with the propellant torch system against a series of landmines, which took place at a US Government Test Site during September 2003. Four prototype torches containing different propellant formulations were used. A total of 30 torches were tested against a set of anti-personnel (AP) and anti-tank (AT) mines consisting mainly of actual fuzed mines. In two cases surrogate AP mines were used. The torch was either placed against the side of flush buried mines or mounted on a stand for use against the stake mine surrogate. Torch penetration was a function of the propellant. The details of the test results are listed in the test report.
Generally, the standoff and angle of attack was found to be critical in achieving a successful neutralization, particularly for the AP bounding fragmentation mine which has two casings. Using two torches simultaneously reduced the burn time and increased the likelihood of successful neutralization (e.g. the AT blast, steel casing mine). For light AP mines (less than about 150 g.), the mine was displaced by the torch jet without being penetrated. A torch with a lower thrust may be necessary for these types of mines.
Results of more recent tests with the PTS can be found in the April 2005 report Operational Evaluation Test of Mine Neutralisation Systems | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| February 2006 | | The draft ITEP Work Plan 2006 is now available | The 2006 ITEP Work Plan has been compiled using project updates and proposals for new projects, submitted by the ITEP Participants during the annual ITEP Work Plan meeting in January 2006. The ITEP Work Plan currently contains a total of 111 projects, of which 41 have been completed. Approximately 50 projects are ongoing and 16 new T&E projects are planned to start in the course of 2006.
Overall, it is evident that duplication of T&E efforts amongst the ITEP Participants has considerably decreased and that collaboration between ITEP Participants is improving. Furthermore, the Plan shows that the distribution of ITEP Work Plan projects over the different technical categories has not changed significantly since the creation of ITEP. The main activities are still in the close-in detection and the mechanical assistance categories. Close-in detection is progressing from single sensor detection (MD or GPR) to dual-sensor detection, with also some attention for magnets and detector arrays. Although the mechanical clearance testing activities are more and more focusing on multi-tool systems (pre-dominantly as a result of activities by the US HDP program), the 2006 Work Plan still includes a considerable amount of flail/tiller testing. An important aspect of the latter testing, however, is the experimental verification of the CWA 15044 (T&E of demining machines) in order to compile baseline T&E data and lessons learned.
The current draft ITEP Work Plan will be submitted to the ITEP Executive Committee in March 2006 for endorsement. It is foreseen that the final endorsed ITEP Work Plan 2006 will be published at the end of March 2006. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| February 2006 | | Publication of the US Proof of Performance Test Report on the Mine Clearing Survivable Vehicle. | The report covers a two week trial with the Mine Clearing Survivable Vehicle (MCSV) and a complement of 12 demining and area preparation tools. The trial was conducted by the US Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Command, Night Vision Electronics Sensors Directorate, Humanitarian Demining Branch with support from engineers from the United Kingdom (ITEP Work Plan, Project Nr. 3.2.5) at a US Army development test site in central Virginia.
Survivability against AP mine blasts for the MCSV, the operator, the mine roller, and the SETCO tires was demonstrated by detonating 250 gram (1/2 pound) TNT charges initiated by a small AP mine under the mine roller and SETCO tires of a moving MCSV. The ability to detonate most AP mines with the mine roller and remove AT mines with the Rotary Mine Comb was demonstrated in simulated minefields in moderate to heavy vegetation. The vegetation clearing and area site preparation tools demonstrated the capability of the system for vegetation cutting and removal, and the removal of downed trees, surface metal, and buried mines and UXO. The results of the performance demonstration assessment clearly show, for the soil and vegetation within the limits of that found at the test site, that a single prime mover (the MCSV) with a well thought-out selection of tools can prepare an area for demining, remove antipersonnel (AP) and antitank (AT) mines, and leave an area ready for quality assurance proofing and subsequent use. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| January 2006 | | The results of Swedish tests with flail hammer heads are now available. | New designs of hammer heads, including alternative materials, were tested by SWEDEC in order to evaluate their performance as compared to the standard hammer heads used on the Scanjack and MV-4 flails (ITEP Work Plan, Project Nr. 3.2.29). Development of hammer heads using various materials and different designs has been ongoing since 2003. The final tests, which are documented in the test report accessible on this web site, took place during Novenber 2005. The trial included high speed video camera observations, wear out tests and performance tests.
The studies and trials showed that the weight distribution and centre of gravity of the hammers are essential for an optimal performance of the flail tool. The report makes recommendations for the hammer wear plate diameter, thickness and weight. Furthermore, the tests demonstrated that flail hammers made from wrought iron performed at least as well as the original steel flail hammers, decreasing the operational costs of the flail considerably. In order to further reduce the flail operational costs, it is also recommended to select flail hammers with detachable chains as the latter wear out less fast than the hammers heads and can hence be reused. | | contact: Goran Danielsson | | More info... |
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| January 2006 | | Publication of the 2004 Geophex GEM-3 test results. | The report provides an analysis of the results of a blind test of the GEM-3 Mine Detector and Discriminator landmine detection system developed by Geophex Ltd. (ITEP Project Nr. 2.5.1.1) The detector was tested at a temperate US test site in June 2004 with as objective to establish the current performance of the system.
The test was conducted on a set of lanes 1.5 m wide by 25 m long with both road and off road conditions. A variety of antitank (AT) and antipersonnel (AP) mines were buried at tactical depths. The mines were either metal (M) or low metal (LM). Emplaced clutter consisted of shell casings and shrapnel from bounding fragmentation mines.
Overall, the GEM-3 was more sensitive to mines and characterized clutter with larger metal content, as well as to mines buried less deeply. Because of their low metal content and greater burial depths, mines in the AT–LM category had a probability of detection significantly lower than those for the other three mine categories. The road condition generally had little impact on the mine probability of detection. The background false alarm rate was significantly higher off road than on road, and the probability of detection for emplaced clutter was lower off road than on road. The GEM-3 also did a good job discriminating specific mines that it detected, and in many cases, was able to identify mine models with few if any misclassifications. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| January 2006 | | The report on the 2002 US Humanitarian Demining Sensors Field Test is now available. | The test report documents independent tests of four NVESD developed humanitarian demining sensors at a temperate US test site in November 2002: the Geo-Centers Energy-Focused Ground-Penetrating Radar (EFGPR), Geophex Mine Detector and Discriminator (GEM–3), and Stolar Electromagnetic-Wave Detection and Imaging Transceivers (EDIT–2, EDIT–3).
The EFGPR performance was better on road than off road. AT mines were detected at higher rates than AP mines, regardless of depth and metal content. For the GEM-3, the AT–Low Metal (LM) mine category was the most challenging for detection. The road condition generally had little impact on detector performance, except for the AP–LM category, where the probability of detection was lower off road. The GEM-3 was generally very sensitive to objects of higher metal content. The Stolar EDIT-2 performance had a detection rate for AT mines that was higher than for AP mines. Within the AT and AP categories, the detection rates for metal mines were slightly higher than those for low-metal mines. Off road, AP detection was better than on road, but AT detection was worse. The Stolar EDIT-3 had a detection rate for AT mines was higher than for AP mines. Within the AT and AP categories, the detection rates for metal mines were slightly higher than those for low-metal mines. In most cases, the road condition did not affect the EDIT-3 performance significantly, except for the AP–M category where the probability of detection was higher off road. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| January 2006 | | Publication of a report on soil magnetic susceptibility measurements and the associated production of soil magnetic property maps. | The Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies (CCMAT), supported by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC/JRC), has funded a study in order to assess the possibility to compile national soil magnetic property maps from in laboratory magnetic susceptibility measurements on soil samples (ITEP Project Nr. 2.1.1.4). Similar maps could theoretically be used during the selection of a national metal detector fleet. The project was executed by CCMAT personnel and soil specialists from the UK National Soil Resources Institute, in collaboration with the Agropedology Institute in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
Much of the research associated with the study is not available for publication. However, information has now been published related to the selection of soil samples from the national BiH soil sample archive, the magnetic property measurements executed with the Bartington Susceptibility System and the derivation of magnetic property maps.
It is also the intention to make available in the near future the data of the soil magnetic properties for all measured soil samples. | | contact: Yoga Das | | More info... |
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| January 2006 | | Update on the MINEHOUND dual-sensor field trials. | Field trials of the ERA/Vallon MINEHOUND dual-sensor detector have been carried out during the second half of 2005 in Bosnia, Cambodia and Angola with assistance of representatives from most ITEP Participants. The aim of the trial was to gather information about how this dual-sensor detector would have performed if it had been used for demining on a real mine field. In addition, the trial was also intended to bring the emerging multi-sensor detection technology in the hands of the deminers actually involved in clearance operations.
The MINEHOUND trial in Angola is being extended by two weeks in January/February 2006. As no mines were encountered in the area cleared during the trials at the end of 2005, the manufacturer requested a trial extension to try and ensure that at least a few mines were encountered (making the trials in Cambodia, Bosnia and Angola more directly comparable). MAG Angola has kindly provided the same deminers for the trial extension in a different location, maintaining continuity.
Raw data spreadsheets of the 2005 trials in Bosnia and Cambodia are now available on the ITEP intranet to participants of the trials. The data have been made available for general analysis and scrutiny, as the participants have detailed knowledge of how the data were collected. Data from all three trials will be made available on the main ITEP site after the end of the second Angola trial, with a more complete description of the data, collection method and what the values mean for release to a wider audience. | | contact: Ian Dibsdall | |
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| January 2006 | | Publication of the Bozena-4 flail performance and survivability trial results. | The Bozena-4 flail was evaluated in a cooperative International Test and Evaluation Program trial between June and October 2004 (ITEP Project Nr. 3.2.24). The trial was conducted according to the methodology specified in the CWA 15044 – test and Evaluation of Demining Machines.
The pre-trial assessment was conducted in Slovakia and is described in a separate report which was published earlier on this website. The current document reports on the performance and survivability tests that were carried out at the SWEDEC facilities and also includes comments on the trial by the manufacturer.
The report concludes that the Bozena-4 successfully triggered or neutralized most of the targets in the test (worst case: 46 of 50 targets and best case: 49 of 50 targets). The machine further demonstrated the ability to dig uniformly across the width of the flail head and to the necessary depth. The survivability test showed that the skids are vulnerable to damage should they trigger AP mines of 180 g TNT or more. In the event that the chains/hammers trigger an AT mine, the Bozena-4 appears able to survive the effects of a blast of up to 8 kg without any significant damage. Furthermore, it is stated that the machine did not exhibit any breakdown or maintenance problems during the tests and that the machine tool attachments can be changed very quickly producing a flexible, multi-purpose machine. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| January 2006 | | Publication of the summer 2002 trial results with the XM2670-A3 Mini-Flail | This document includes the results of a trial with the XM2670-A3 Mini-Flail (ITEP Work Plan, Project 3.2.3). The latter trial was part of a program conducted by the Candian Centre for Mine Action Technologies (CCMAT) during which four machines were selected for evaluation of their potential as Mechanically-Assisted Clearance Equipment in humanitarian demining operation. Another tests report (Mine Hammer) issued from the latter program was published earlier.
The XM2670-A3 Mini-Flail report concludes that the level of performance of the Mini-Flail, as it was provided for the test, was considerably lower than anticipated. The system suffered from overheating which caused it to shut down repeatedly. It was underpowered and was unable to climb even moderate slopes or to load itself back on its trailer. The flail also failed to trigger or damage a large number of mechnaical reproduction mines, and it performed poorly in simple weed/vegetation cutting tests.
The report also includes a draft Statement of Requirements (SOR) for a mini flail (p. 53 to p.59). | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| January 2006 | | CEN announces a new Workshop on Test and Evaluation of Personal Protective Equipment. | A new CEN Workshop (WS 26) will be started in order to establish test and evaluation specifications for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA). The draft business plan for WS 26 can be viewed at the website listed below.
The Workshop, in which several ITEP Participants plan to take part, will be co-chaired by the GICHD and Swedish Standard Institute (SIS). The WS 26 kick-off meeting was originally planned to take place on the 2nd of March 2006, but has been postponed until the first half of April 2006. Parties interested in participating in the kick-off meeting, should register by the 24th of February 2006 at the latest, using the registration form available at the CEN WS 26 webpage. | | contact: Gaïd Le Gall | | More info... |
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| December 2005 | | Publication of the STEMD interim report on the field trial in Mozambique | This report covers the second field trial of the STEMD project (Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors, ITEP project 2.1.2.3), which was carried out in Mozambique during April – May 2005. The second trial was a follow-up of the November 2004 trials in Laos, on which was reported in earlier news items (February 2005, November 2004) and for which the test report was published in January 2005.
The current report provides a detailed description of the trial methodology and the effect of ground conditions on metal detector detection capability. Finally, it contains an individual assessment of every detector tested and produces hence a systematic assessment of the currently available detector fleet.
The STEMD project is a collaborative project executed under the ITEP banner and has enjoyed contributions from several ITEP Participants (United Kingdom, Belgium), the GICHD, in-country demining entities (Mozambican Accelerated Demining Program/ADP, Instituto Nacional di Desminagem/IND, UXO-LAO) and the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| December 2005 | | Publication of the final report on the development and construction of a camera system for landmine detection. | The report describes the development of a camera systemto aid in mechanical mine clearance and mine area reduction. The corresponding project was sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Defence and executed by TNO Defence, Security and Safety in collaboration with a potential end-user (HALO Trust).
The following project results have been accomplished:A unique polarisation camera, without any moving parts, has been constructed. This camera is robust and can be mounted on a moving platform.Detection software has been developed which allows for landmines to be detected and visualised automatically in images that are recorded with the polarisation camera. Two field demonstrations have been given with the camera system mounted on a wheel loader. During these demonstrations, recordings have been made of surface laid mines. Enhanced polarisation contrast has been shown in real time and mines have been detected automatically in off-line processing.
A detailed description of the work carried out and the project findings can be found in the interim report and final report, both available at the ITEP reports webpage. In summary, it is concluded that the constructed polarisation camera is applicable in landmine detection scenarios, as well as in other detection scenarios such as road proving, road-side inspection and detection of improvised explosive devices. The polarisation images can be used for automatic detection, but also as an image enhancement tool for the human observer. | | contact: Wim de Jong | | More info... |
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| December 2005 | | Update on the Explosive Harvesting Facility Project. | The US Humanitarian Demining / Golden West Foundation Explosive Harvesting Facility (US ITEP Project 6.2.11) is operational and developing optimum methods for explosive extraction from ordnance and designing charges for in situ demolition.
In spite of the rainy season arriving in Cambodia; most of the remaining construction upgrades are complete and 36 different disposal charges have been proto-typed. The efforts are now focused on developing ways to extract the explosives more quickly and to design ways to begin the production process that is supportable in field conditions. The November Newsletter, accessible via the below link provides, more technical details on the ongoing work.
The Explosive Harvesting Facility Project (EHP) site also hosted a demonstration of US Humanitarian Demining Technology for the new US Ambassador to Cambodia. The Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS), the DTW Tempest system, with both the ground-engaging flail and vegetation cutting head, and two other Golden West neutralization developments (the binary LEP and NMX Foam detonation systems) were demonstrated. Furthermore, a live demonstration of the DiaJet Osprey Water-Abrasive cutting system and actual re-casting of recovered explosives was also carried out.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Humanitarian Demining Research and Development program has planned funding to continue development at the Kampong Chhnang (KC) site for Fiscal Year 06; by the end of which the EHP team will have refined the methodology to convert large caliber projectiles and similar sized items into disposal charges for the Demining and EOD teams. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| December 2005 | | The US publishes the report of a recent trial with the Scanjack 3500. | A trial with the Scanjack 3500 heavy flail was conducted from 20 May to 29 June 2005 by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Communications, Electronics Research, Development and Engineer Command, Countermine Division as an ITEP test (Project Nr. 3.2.30,)in partnership with the Swedish EOD and Demining Center (SWEDEC), a fellow ITEP Participant.
The objectives of the tests were: to determine the dispersal pattern of moved AT and AP mine simulants after a single pass, to assess the ability of the system to detonate or destroy double impulse/blast resistant mines and to assess the damage resulting from steel cased AT mine detonation under the first flail, to evaluate the mobility and vegetation cutting capabilities, and to assess the required training.
It was, however, beyond the scope of this trial to demonstrate with statistical significance the types and percentage of mines the Scanjack flail would detonate.
The test report includes details of the test methodology, results and assessments for each test and an overall conclusion. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| November 2005 | | Announcement of the December Round Table Discussion on Reliability Tests for Demining | The workshop, which will take place in Berlin from the 15th to the 16th of December 2005, is organised by BAM, in collaboration with the GICHD and the CROMAC-CTRO. The Workshop aims at presenting and evaluating the results of a series of trials, amongst which the metal detector reliability tests executed by BAM (ITEP projects Nr. 2.1.1.2 and Nr. 2.1.1.8), the systematic evaluation of metal detectors trials carried out by the JRC/EC (ITEP project Nr.2.1.2.3) and the German joint project on metal detector signal processing (HuMin/MD, ITEP project Nr. 2.1.1.7). It is envisaged that the discussions will contribute to the formulation of updates for the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747), which was published in 2003. It is further hoped that the experiences with metal detector reliability testing can assist future testing of other landmine and UXO detectors.
For registration please refer to the BAM website. | | contact: Christina Mueller | | More info... |
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| November 2005 | | African field tests with the NIITEK Mine Stalker were completed in October 2005 | The NIITEK Mine Stalker completed a very successful five-week deployment in Africa (ITEP Project Nr. 2.2..2.3).
Working with MgM (Menschen gegen Minen), the US Humanitarian Demining team tested the ultra-wideband, ground penetrating radar for detecting low metal mines in Angola. The system detected all of the anti-tank mines that it encountered. Despite challenging operational conditions, the system displayed an excellent capability to reject false targets. The radar, associated electronics, and the overall platform/system performed well throughout the deployment. Future improvements are being considered based on the results of the deployment. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| October 2005 | | The report on the US HDP operational evaluation test of mine neutralization systems is now available. | The US Humanitarian Demining Program has tested a series of commercial-off-the-shelf neutralisation systems (deflagration systems and high-order systems) for use in humanitarian demining operations (ITEP Work Plan, Project Nr. 6.2.9). The trials took place at a US government test facility during the period August-October 2004.
The published test report provides a detailed description of the different systems tested and of the applied test protocol. It further presents the test results for each system separately, as well as a results summary. Next to system performance it also discusses other essential factors such as costs, transport and storage aspects, and training.
As a general conclusion the report states that all mine neutralization systems evaluated were successful in their ability to neutralize antipersonnel and antitank mines. When the systems are used properly, they are an effective, cost efficient alternative to traditional 1.1D explosives such as C-4 or TNT when neutralizing surface laid or surface buried landmines. However, all systems presented limitations in target set applicability, transportation restrictions, or cost. Given the right target set, any one of the systems evaluated during the test could do the job and be used with confidence by humanitarian deminers, military, and explosive ordnance disposal personnel. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| October 2005 | | Publication of an update on ITEP activities. | The update article has been published in the Mine Action Technology Newsletter, produced by UNMAS and GICHD. The latter newsletter is dedicated to the promotion and development of humanitarian demining related technology.
The first and second Mine Action Technology Newsletters were distributed in November 2004 and April 2005 respectively. The current issue includes next to the ITEP update two other feature articles: one on maintaining the database of demining accidents and one on mine neutralisation devices. | | contact: Noel Mulliner | | More info... |
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| October 2005 | | Further testing of the Tempest Mk V has been completed by Canada at Swedish test facilities. | An earlier trial of the Tempest Mk V Ground Engaging Flail (GEF) was conducted in-country (Cambodia) between the 31st of January and the 18th of February 2005 in response to a request from Mines Advisory Group, MAG (see ITEP news March 2005). The corresponding trials report was published in June 2005 (see ITEP news June 2005). The rationale behind the latter trial was to provide an assessment of the mobility, functionality and general performance capabilities of the machine in-country following as close as possible the recommendations of the CWA on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004).
The recent trial executed by Canada (CCMAT), in collaboration with Sweden (SWEDEC) at the Swedish test facility of Norra Kulla was aimed at assessing the performance of the flail according to the guidelines of the CWA 15044:2004. It should further allow to assess to which extent the results of an in-country performance test (earlier trial) reflect the results obtained from detailed performance testing using a statistical representative number of test targets. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| October 2005 | | The CEN Workshop Agreements on T&E of demining equipment have been incorporated into IMAS. | The CEN Workshop Agreements (CWA) on T&E of metal detectors (CWA 14747: 2003) and on T&E of demining machines (CWA 15044: 2004), have recently been included in the International Mine Action Standard on test and evaluation of mine action equipment (IMAS 03.40).
Both CEN Workshop Agreements are products of collaborative efforts that were led by ITEP Participants (see ITEP Work Plan, Project Nr.2.1.1.1 and Project Nr.3.1.5 ). During amendments of the IMAS 03.40, carried out in 2005, both CEN Workshop Agreements were included as normative references. | | contact: Phil Bean | | More info... |
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| September 2005 | | Preparation of an evaluation project of commercially available metal detector array systems. | | The initial planning meeting was held at the Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technology (CCMAT) on the 13th and 14th of July 2005. ITEP representatives from Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands along with a representative from the GICHD discussed project test plan and schedule. The comprehensive test plan, based heavily on the CEN Workshop Agreement CWA 14747, was reviewed and modified to addresses the peculiarities of electromagnetic induction (EMI) array systems. With the bid solicitation package due to be released in the first week of October 2005, it is expected that the manufacturers of the array systems will respond with proposals soon after. If the proposals are satisfactory, the evaluations will begin in November 2005. | | contact: Kevin Russell | |
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| September 2005 | | Update on the ongoing MINEHOUND dual-sensor detector field trials. | Trials of the ERA/Vallon MINEHOUND dual-sensor detector are currently underway in Cambodia and Bosnia, with a third trial to start in Angola next month. The trials were set-up by ERA technology with assistance from ITEP representatives and locally operating NGOs.
The aim of the trials is to gather information about how this dual-sensor detector would have performed if it had been used for demining on a real mine field. In addition, the trial is also intended to bring the emerging multi-sensor detection technology in the hands of the deminers actually involved in clearance operations. This provides an opportunity to obtain useful feedback from the deminers themselves to be incorporated in a final production unit.
The trials have started well, with the deminers showing an interest in the new detector and rapidly acquiring the skills to use it. At the end of each 6 week trial, the data are analysed to give an indication of the performance of the new detector in a real demining operation. A report is due at the end of January 2006. | | contact: Ian Dibsdall | | More info... |
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| September 2005 | | Sweden plans to evaluate a navigation system to be used with mechanical demining equipment. | Sweden is planning to test a GPS/GLONASS RTK (Global Positioning System /Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System Real Time Kinematics) based navigation system to be used in conjunction with mechanical demining equipment in order to improve the clearance efficiency. A demonstration at SWEDEC of such a system mounted on the Scanjack flail showed a reduction in overlap between the runs of at least a factor of 4. According to some calculations this would result in a 60% increase in clearance efficiency.
A spin-off effect of such a system could be the possibility to report the exact co-ordinates of the cleared area directly in the IMSMA system. It further might improve the assessment of missed zones during the clearance process, which are at times difficult to determine because of the dust created by the flail activity.
Field trials, in collaboration with other ITEP Participants, of a demonstration system are planned towards the end of 2005. | | contact: Goran Danielsson | | More info... |
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| September 2005 | | Field testing of the US developed explosive harvesting system (ITEP Project Nr. 6.2.11) has started. | The US Humanitarian Demining R&D Program has developed and constructed a deployable explosive harvesting system (EHS). The U.S. directed the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation to design and fabricate this system which will safely remove explosives from UXO such as AT mines, large caliber projectiles, and air dropped bombs. After removal, the explosive is then recast into disposal charges and specialized items such as platters, shaped and bulk linear charges for in-situ mine neutralization. This system has been developed and deployed in cooperation with the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC).
The EHS consists of three, 20 foot ISO containers that serve as both shipping containers and as field ready on-site workshops. The primary equipment used in the system are a hydro–abrasive cutting assembly, a steaming assembly, a power assembly and a complete tool set. A thorough site assessment was conducted that focused on explosive storage requirements and EOD considerations. The system was then assembled at CMAC’s Kampong Chhnang Training Center. In addition, a new explosive storage bunker was constructed that will store up to 720Kg of unfired, un-fused ordnance.To date, the system has cut live ordnance, removed the explosive contents and recast the explosives into disposal charges. Testing is currently underway to determine the optimal parameters for explosive charges. This testing is focused on size, shape, explosive force and method of initiation. Testing will continue through 2005 and future improvements will be made in 2006. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| July 2005 | | Germany publishes the final report on test and evaluation of pyrotechnical mine neutralisation devices. | The trials described in the report were carried out by Germany (ITEP Project Nr. 6.2.4), as a contribution to similar activities undertaken by other ITEP Participants. The aim of the trails was to develop a non-explosive method of non-contact Anti-Tank mine clearance using ignition charges or (thermite) demining flares.
The final report details the results for the tested charges/flares (DM29 Ignition Charge, Fire, EOD, PT; FireAnt A210 and Hyper Heat Mine Flare) related to:Chemical-Technical testing,Thermal signature measurements,Penetration performance in a laminar target,Parameter optimisation using an AT mine TM-46 as target, and Initiation tests of experimental demolition charges using a thermite flare.
The report concludes that no safe method for non-explosive (low order) clearance of AT mines using ignition charges and (thermite) demining flares could be found. | | contact: Joachim Sigmund | | More info... |
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| July 2005 | | Journal of Mine Action publishes an article on STEMD. | | The article outlines the concept of the project Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (STEMD), which is currently executed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Comission (EC), in collaboration with other ITEP partners. It further illustrates how the STEMD project constitutes a logical follow-up to previous trials and standardisation activities. | | contact: Adam Lewis | | More info... |
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| July 2005 | | The training of ITEP invigilators for the upcoming MineHound dual-sensor trials has been completed | Two 2-day training sessions for the ITEP invigilators of the MINEHOUND dual-sensor tests in Cambodia, Bosnia and Angola (ITEP project 2.4.2.4) took place at the premises of ERA Technology from the 28th of June to the 1st of July 2005.
ITEP invigilators are trials support staff seconded under the auspices of ITEP. Their main task will be to ensure that the field trials are carried out correctly following the agreed test protocol and schedule, as well as conducting additional in-country performance tests. ITEP invigilators come from Belgium, Canada, Germany, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
After following tutorials to use the MINEHOUND metal detector and GPR, ITEP invigilators could practice on ERA Technology in-house test fields. At the end of the sessions they had the opportunity to individually evaluate their performance in blind tests.
Practical details for the tests were given by ERA Technology and improvements of the draft test protocols and the deminer in-country training scheme were proposed by the ITEP invigilators. | | contact: Ian Dibsdall | | More info... |
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| June 2005 | | Update on the STEMD metal detector trials in Mozambique. | The second field trial of the Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors Project (STEMD, ITEP Project Nr. 2.1.2.3) has been completed. The trial was carried out by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, together with the Mozambican Accelerated Demining Program (ADP) and the Instituto Nacional di Desminagem (IND). Field support was also provided by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Researh (CSIR).
The objectives of the trials were to:Compare performance of detectors in different types of Mozambican soils,Measure detector sensitivity to typical local targets of interest and standard targets, and Train local staff in the application of the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| June 2005 | | Publication of the report on trials with the Tempest Mk V in Cambodia. | The report summarises the results of a trial of the Tempest Mk V fitted with a Ground Engaging Flail (GEF). The trial focused primarily on the GEF rather than on the mature, well proven vegetation cutting system. Other attachments were also assesssed such as the standard vegetation flail head, the Promac Slasher and the large magnet.
The trial was organised in response to a request from Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and executed as a collaborative ITEP project (Project Nr. 3.2.24) with participants from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. The rationale behind the trial was to provide an assessment of the mobility, functionality and general performance capabilities of the machine following the recommendations of the CWA on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044:2004).
The tests conducted demonstrated that the machine has the ability to clear both mines and vegetation, albeit with limitations. They further highlighted a number of important characteristics of the machine, both positive and negative. | | contact: Chris Leach | | More info... |
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| June 2005 | | The performance and survivability test report of the RM-KA 02 is now available. | Performance tests and a brief survivability test were carried out on the RM-KA 02 medium flail, as follow-up to the first phase assessment of which the results were published in December last year. The former tests were executed at the SWEDEC test facilities as part of a collaborative ITEP trial (ITEP project Nr. 3.2.23) involving participants from Canada, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States. The trial further served to verify the test methodology specified in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044).
The test report provides a detailed description of the used test methodology and test results and formulates a set of conclusions and recommendations. In general the RM-KA 02 is considered to be a very capable, well built machine. The two most critical areas which the trial team recommend for attention are a lower speed setting to avoid skip zones in difficult soil, and an automatic terrain following system for the flail head. From the test methodology perspective, improvements to the fibreboard tests are suggested. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| May 2005 | | Canada is planning an evaluation project of commercially available metal detector array systems | | The Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technology (CCMAT), as a member of the International Test and Evaluation Program for Humanitarian Demining (ITEP) is initiating an evaluation project that will produce an independent report on commercially available metal detector array systems. The project goal is to provide a similar level of information to the international community as provided by the IPPTC report on hand-held metal detectors. During July 2005, the test plan and schedule, as well as the collaboration with other ITEP Participants will be discussed. | | contact: Kevin Russell | |
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| May 2005 | | The US announces the test and evaluation of the Scanjack flail. | | The US will test the Scanjack flail, in collaboration with Sweden, as part of the ITEP 2005 collaborative T&E activities in the field of mechanical demining equipment (Project 3.2.30). The flail will be evaluated during June 2005 on clearance capability, mobility and survivability. The currently used training methods will also be assessed. | | contact: Lee Offen | |
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| May 2005 | | The results of tests on the Quest Technology Ltd. prototype low-power metal detector are now available. | Quest Technology Ltd. has produced a prototype metal detector with low power consumption, aimed at humanitarian demining. It is based on a design for an inexpensive handheld medical detector. In February 2004, an initial assessment of the detector was carried out on behalf of the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The results indicated that it would be worthwhile carrying out more intermediate testing, in accordance with the CEN Workshop Agreement CWA 14747, under the ITEP program (Project Nr. 2.1.2.4).
This document reports on further tests of the detector with as main aim to produce quantitative performance figures for the Quest detector in order to determine if field testing would be appropriate in the near future and provide Quest Technology Ltd with information on the strengths and weaknesses of the detector to assist future development.
The tests concluded that the prototype detector was capable of greater detection distances than the audio tone would suggest (by measuring the detection circuit output), but that the range was not yet as good as for the commercial detectors. In light of the test results further development and modifications will be carried out, which are specified in chapter five of the report. | | contact: Ian Dibsdall | | More info... |
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| April 2005 | | Publication of the report on test and evaluation of a permanent magnet. | The report documents the first phase of the trials, planned by SWEDEC as part of the ITEP Project 2.5.2.6, Test and Evaluation of permanent magnets. The trial was upon request of the GICHD in order to build up more knowledge on the possibilities of magnets to improve cost effectiveness of manual demining by eliminating metal fragment contamination.
A team consisting of Swedish (SWEDEC and Engineer Regiment) and GICHD representatives, together with a potential user (manufacturer MineWolf) carried out laboratory tests in an attempt to provide answers to the following questions:What is the practical sweep height for a magnet,At which magnetic flux density is all metal that is lying on the soil surface or close to the soil surface picked up and is it depending of the fragment size,Is it possible for a magnet to pull up fragments buried in the soil and if so how is it dependent on depth, fragment size, magnet strength and soil compaction. | | contact: Goran Danielsson | | More info... |
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| April 2005 | | Publication of an overview article on the ITEP 2005 collaborative test and evaluation activities. | The overview article has been published in the Mine Action Technology Newsletter, produced by UNMAS and GICHD. The latter newsletter is dedicated to the promotion and development of related technology.
The first issue was distributed in November 2004. The current issue includes next to the article on ITEP collaborative activities, two other feature articles: one on the Rake Excavation and Detection System (REDS) and one on problem soils for metal detectors. | | contact: Noel Muliner | | More info... |
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| April 2005 | | Germany announces a follow-up of the project Reliability Model for Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors. | | A new project (Project Nr. 2.1.1.8) has been initiated by Germany (Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign affairs, BAM and the University of Rostock), in collaboration with the EC Joint Research Centre (EC/JRC) and the Croatian Mine Action Centre - Centre for Testing Development and Training (CROMAC-CTDT). The project constitues a follow-up of the previously executed project (Project Nr. 2.1.1.2) which investigated the development of a reliability model for test and evaluation of metal detectors. The new project aims at improving and optimising the proposed procedures for reliability testing of metal detectors, based on the test experience gained in the former project and further field experience acquired by the research team in the context of the GICHD Study of Manual Clearance. | | contact: Christina Muller | | More info... |
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| March 2005 | | The final 2005 ITEP Work Plan is now available. | The draft version, which was published earlier (January 2005) has now been replaced with the final 2005 version, endorsed by all ITEP Participants during a meeting of the ITEP Executive Committee (Stockholm, Sweden, 16-17 March 2005).
Please note that the static version of the ITEP Work Plan 2005 is only updated once a year. For updates in the course of 2005, please refer to the ITEP Work Plan database, which is continuously kept up to date as new information and results become available. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| March 2005 | | Update on the Handheld Stand-Off Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS) Operational Field Trails and Demonstrations. | | The Handheld Stand-Off Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS) Operational Field Trails and Demonstrations project is a US Humanitarian Demining Project conducted in partnership with Canada, The Netherlands, Sweden and The United Kingdom (ITEP Work Plan Project Nr. 2.4.2.6). The second of three Field Trials has just been completed in Namibia. The next one will take place in South West Asia in late 2005. Emerging results from this ongoing project will be available in the summer of 2005. | | contact: Lee Offen | |
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| March 2005 | | The UK reports the successful completion of the trial with the Tempest V Ground Engaging Flail. | The Trial of the Tempest V Ground Engaging Flail (GEF) was successfully conducted between the 31st of January and the 18th of February 2005. This ITEP trial was led by the UK trials team, partnered by Canada and supported by the US (ITEP Project Nr. 3.2.24). The trial was the first opportunity to test a piece of mechanical demining equipment against the CEN Workshop Agreement, Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044) protocol in field conditions (Cambodia). The trial was in response to a request from MAG (Mines Advisory Group), which also provided demining personnel and logistic assistance. During the three week trial it was possible to assess the following:Mobility (of both wheeled and tracked versions of the Tempest V),Performance of the GEF, Basic performance of the Promac Brushcutter, Basic performance of the Magnet, and Survivability of the GEF Head, Promac Head and Tempest V.
The reliability and efficiency were not assessed during this trial period.
Overall, the Tempest GEF fared well. The trial report is due in April 2005. | | contact: Chris Leach | | More info... |
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| February 2005 | | The report on the STEMD metal detector field trial in Laos is now available. | The metal detector trials carried out in Laos during November 2004 are part of a larger systematic test and evaluation of metal detectors, STEMD (Project Nr. 2.1.2.3), executed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC) in collaboration with several ITEP Participants, GICHD and Mine Action Centres of mine-affected regions. The main aims of the trial in Laos were to: assess metal detectors which had been previously identified as possibly suitable on the basis of lab tests and on the advice of manufacturers,provide UXO Lao with performance data which will assist in the selection of future equipment, and evaluate the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747) on its application to small items of UXO.
The report provides next to general conclusions for each detector tested a technical description file, including the test results Furthermore, It includes an list of lessons learned during the T&E campaign. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| February 2005 | | Canada announces an ITEP multi-activity test and evaluation project. | Canada will lead a multi-activity T&E project, in cooperation with the Thailand Mine Action Centre (TMAC) and engaging ITEP partners from UK and Sweden. The corresponding trials are scheduled for May 2005 and involve the testing of several tools from the mechanical demining kit.
In-country performance test of the Bozena-4 mini flail, followed by an in-country acceptance test (ITEP Project 3.2.22). This will make the Bozena-4 the first demining machine to run completely through the whole CEN Workshop Agreement, Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044) procedure from pre-trial assessment at the factory to acceptance testing in the mine-affected country.Evaluation of a bunching saw attachment to a hydraulic excavator (ITEP Project 3.2.26) and comparison between the single-operation bunching saw and a two-operation shredder/remover, using the on-site ProMac BDM48 or other available vegetation grinders/cutters with secondary raking mechanisms. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| February 2005 | | Sweden has initiated a project on test and evaluation of permanent magnets. | | Sweden has initiated the ITEP Project 2.5.2.6, Test and Evaluation of permanent magnets. The first phase of the trials has been completed in February 2005. During three days a team consisting of Swedish (SWEDEC and Engineer Regiment) and GICHD representatives, together with a potential user (manufacturer MineWolf) carried out laboratory tests to assess the performance of magnets as a function of scanning height above ground surface, target type and shape, target orientation and target burial depth. The tests have provided a first set of useful insights in the potential of magnets for metallic clutter removal and the results will be published on the ITEP website as soon as the experimental data have been processed. | | contact: Goran Danielsson | | More info... |
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| February 2005 | | The draft ITEP Work Plan 2005 is now available. | The draft ITEP Work Plan 2005 was compiled based on a yearly update provided by the national representatives of all ITEP Participants. The ITEP held its annual Work Plan revision meeting from the 12th to the 13th of January 2005 in London. The inputs provided by the country representatives consisted of a status update of all ongoing projects and a description of the planned test and evaluation activities for 2005. The latter serves as a basis for the planning of the 2005 collaborative efforts amongst the ITEP Participants.
The presented draft version of the ITEP Work Plan will be submitted to the ITEP Executive Committee for endorsement in March 2005, after which the current version will be replaced with the endorsed version.
Please note that the ITEP Work Plan document is only updated once a year while the ITEP Work Plan database is continuously kept up to date. | | contact: ITEP Secretariat | | More info... |
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| January 2005 | | The final report of the MultiSensor Mine Signatures project (MsMs) is now available. | | The MultiSensor Mine Signatures project (MsMs, ITEP Project 2.5.1.2) was conceived as a relatively simple way to provide experimental data suitable for developers of data fusion algorithms for demining. Several measurement campaigns were conducted with a variety of sensors on a simulated AP minefield, laid out at JRC-Ispra, Italy. The sensors were used one at a time but the data sets may be combined by data fusion techniques so as to allow the test and evaluation of different multi-sensor algorithms. The MsMs database may be thought of as a tool for construction of virtual multi-sensor systems. All results have been or are being made freely available through the MsMs website. The database now contains measurements from metal detectors, ground penetrating radars, infrared cameras, a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer and some magnetometric and passive microwave data. No chemical sensors or bulk explosive sensors were included since the mine simulants contained no explosives. | | contact: Adam Lewis | | More info... |
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| January 2005 | | Update on the Handheld Stand-Off Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS) Operational Field Trails and Demonstrations | | This project is a US Humanitarian Demining Project conducted in partnership with Canada, The Netherlands, Sweden and The United Kingdom (ITEP Work Plan Project Nr. 2.4.2.6). The first of three Field Trails has just been completed in Thailand. The next one will take place in Africa in the spring of 2005. Emerging results from this ongoing project will be available in March 2005. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| December 2004 | | Results of the first phase assessment of the RM-KA 02 medium flail are now available. | The report summarises the results of the first phase assessment of the RM-KA 02 medium flail against the criteria laid down in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044). The presented trial, evaluating handling and mobility characteristics and general performance capabilities, is part of a three-phase ITEP trial, co-ordinated by Canada.
The results from the tests recorded in this report were only able to give an indicative summary of the abilities of the RM-KA 02 due to environmental and time constraints. Further testing in the next phase of the trial will be required to support these results.
Overall the RM-KA 02 showed that it could be operated safely and has the potential to carry out demining operations such as vegetation clearance and ground preparation.
The RM-KA 02 has in the meantime undergone the second phase of testing (performance against mine targets, survivability) in Sweden. The report on the latter evaluation will be available soon. | | contact: Chris Leach | | More info... |
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| December 2004 | | The report on the first phase assessment of the Bozena-4 mini flail is now available. | The report summarises the results of the first phase assessment of the Bozena-4 mini flail against the criteria laid down in the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044). The presented trial, evaluating handling and mobility characteristics and general performance capabilities, is part of a three-phase ITEP trial, co-ordinated by Canada.
The results from the tests recorded in this report demonstrated that the machine has the ability to process the ground consistently down to 200 mm and clear medium to high levels of vegetation, albeit with limitations.
Overall the Bozena-4 showed that it could be operated safely and has the potential to carry out demining operations such as vegetation clearance and ground preparation.
The Bozena-4 has in the meantime undergone the second phase of testing (performance against mine targets, survivability) in Sweden. The report on the latter evaluation will be available soon. | | contact: Chris Leach | | More info... |
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| December 2004 | | Results of a landmine/UXO detection test, using a COTS IR camera, are now available. | | The equipment tested consisted of two IR cameras, Thermovision 900; one camera working in the shortwave IR band and the other camera working in the longwave IR band (see also Project Nr. 2.5.2.3). The test scenarios included a variety of realistic terrain characteristics and a wide range of mine/UXO targets (also tripwires). The report concludes that, with the present equipment, it is very difficult to distinguish man-made objects from the surrounding terrain and that it is not possible to detect tripwires. Furthermore, the analysis of the images has proven very time-consuming. SWEDEC therefore concludes that the localisation of landmines is more accurately done using binoculars than using the IR polarised light from the Thermovision 900 camera. SWEDEC is of the opinion that it is difficult to see how the tested system could contribute to mine and UXO detection in a rational and cost-effective way. | | contact: Jan-Ole Robertz | | More info... |
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| December 2004 | | Publication of a report describing the development of a camera system for AT landmine detection. | | The report describes an investigation of the use of camera systems to aid in mechanical mine clearance and mine area reduction (see also ITEP Project 2.5.2.3). The investigation covers different camera recording and image processing techniques for AT landmine detection. The techniques studied are the processing of monochrome and colour visible light images and the use of polarisation with these modalities. The report concludes that on the basis of the test results with the static visible light camera, the use of polarisation features for the detection of AT mines seems feasible. However, attention should be paid to the robustness of the polarisation against environmental factors. The performance of the system depends on the viewing direction relative to the position of the sun, the time of the day, weather conditions, mine type and position of mine. Some of the latter environmental issues can be ressolved by clear operating procedures. Also, further improvements of the current detection algorithm are deemed necessary, such as a better combination of intensity and polarisation features and incorporation of the negative contrast. | | contact: Wim de Jong | | More info... |
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| November 2004 | | Update on the STEMD metal detector trials in Laos. | | The STEMD project is executed by the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) with active support from other ITEP Participants (Belgium and the United Kingdom) and the GICHD. Laboratory trials are ongoing and the first of the three planned regional tests has been carried out in Laos during October – November 2004. The latter field trials were performed on a priority basis because of a request by UNMAS to assist UXO Lao in selecting detectors for procurement.The report on the Laos trials will be available by the end of December 2004. Preparations for the next regional trials in Mozambique and Croatia are also underway. | | contact: Dieter Guelle | | More info... |
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| November 2004 | | An ITEP project testing the Tempest Mk V has been initiated. | The Development Technology Workshop(DTW) has recently developed a ground penetrating flail version of the Tempest mini-flail. An ITEP project (Project 3.2.24) to test the Tempest has been initiated with the United Kingdom as lead nation. Canada and the United States are participating. Other ITEP nations may also elect to join the project. To the maximum extent possible, this project will be conducted in accordance with the CEN Workshop Agreement, Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA 15044 - 2004). The project is planned as follows:
Pre-Trial Assessment in Nov-Dec 2004 by QinetiQ to run through the Trial Plan with the stakeholders; make an assessment of the safety aspects of the Tempest; conduct some rule of thumb mobility and performance trials to verify the system is suitable for continued testing; allow the trials team to get a feel for the Tempest and the environment in which the trial will be conducted; and start work identifying and preparing the test areas.
Mobility, Performance and Survivability tests will start in late January 2005 and will extend for 3 to 4 weeks. During this period the team will verify and quantify the abilities of Tempest as stated by the manufacturer in the Pre-Test Questionaire, and as identified during the Pre-Trial Assessment; and demonstrate the survivability of the Tempest against various mine threats. | | contact: Chris Leach | | More info... |
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| October 2004 | | Publication of the final report of the ITEP project Reliability Model for Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors | | The objectives of the project were to verify and formulate proposals for optimising the detection reliability tests described in the CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747:2003). Three sets of reliability trials were conducted at test sites of the German Federal Armed Forces and the Croatian Mine Action Centre - Centre for Testing, Development and Training. Laboratory measurements were performed at the Joint Research Centre, EC. Four detector models were tested but kept anonymous since the purpose of the trials was not a comparison between metal detectors, but a study into the optimisation of the testing procedure. The trial scenarios ranged from straigtforward detection of a large AT-mine, buried near the surface of neutral soil to the most difficult challenge of detecting low-metal AP mines, buried deeply in magnetic soil. | | contact: Christina Mueller | | More info... |
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| October 2004 | | A report detailing the first phase op the Armtrac 75 flail evaluation has been published. | | This report details the results of an assessment of the Armtrac 75 mine clearing flail. The trial was designed to be the first phase of a 3-phase assessment process, executed according to the recently published CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines. During the first phase of the trial handling and mobility characteristics and general performance capabilities were evaluated. Phase 2 will provide a more thorough assessment of the mine clearance ability against a large number of representative targets in a range of controlled conditions, plus vehicle and operator survivability tests. Phase 3 will involve field testing over several months to provide productivity and running cost information. The phase 1 trial was executed in the United Kingdom in collaboration with Sweden and Canada, two other ITEP Participants. | | contact: Chris Leach | | More info... |
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| October 2004 | | ITEP continues the test and evaluation of two flail devices. | | The Bozena-4 mini-flail (Way Industry a.s, Slovak Republic) and the RM-KA-02 medium flail (Duro Dakovic, Croatia) have succesfully passed the pre-trial asessments which took part in June 2004. They are now to be tested, following the CEN Workshop Agreement for Demining Machines protocol at the SWEDEC test facilities, Sweden. The RM-KA-02 is scheduled for 04-08 October 2004, while the Bozena-4 will be tested during 18-22 October 2004. The test team will include personnel from Canada, Sweden, UK and the US. In addition to the ITEP countries and the manufacturers, representatives from MAG, CMAC and TMAC will be present during the testing RM-KA-02. The equipment that successfully passes the SWEDEC tests will undergo field trials in Cambodia and Thailand later this year (ITEP Work Plan projects 3.2.22 and 3.2.23). | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| August 2004 | | ITEP assists in CMAC internal metal detector trials. | | ITEP technical staff from the UK provided assistance at short notice to the internal metal detector trials organised by the Cambodian Mine Action Centre during August 2004. | | contact: David Lewis | |
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| August 2004 | | ITEP collaboration during the Mine Clearing Survivable Vehicle Proof of Performance Test in the US. | | The UK provided technical staff to collaborate with the US team in of Performthe execution of the Proof ance Test of the Mine Clearing Survivable Vehicle, MCSV (Pearson Engineering Ltd., UK). Field tests with the MCSV in Nicaragua are planned as a follow-up on the Proof of Performance Test (ITEP Work Plan project 3.2.5). | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| July 2004 | | Publication of the CWA Test and Evaluation on Demining Machines. | | The kick-off of the CWA process was held on the 3rd of June 2003 with the presentation of the Business Plan. The first two technical meetings for the CWA12 were held concurrently at SWEDEC in Eksjo, Sweden, from the 15th to the 18th of September. During these two meetings the first steps towards a CWA for performance testing, survivability testing and also the definition of test targets required for these tests were laid down. Representatives of the user community, GICHD, manufacturers of demining machines, donors and the testing agencies attended these meetings. Five ITEP participants were represented. The third CEN Workshop meeting was organised in cooperation with the Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC) in Zagreb, Croatia, and took place from the 14th to the 16th of October 2003. It had as main aim the consolidation of what had been proposed so far, together with the development of the technical basis for specification of acceptance tests. A draft CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) was distributed at the beginning of January 2004 for final revision before delivery to CEN. A last meeting of the CWA 12 Workshop was then held from the 19th to the 20th of April 2004 in Sibenik, Croatia in order to review the comments received on the distributed draft CWA. At the end of the latter Workshop all participants agreed on the draft text, which was submitted to CEN in May 2004.The CEN Workshop Agreement CWA 15044 Test and evaluation of demining machines has officially been published by CEN in July 2004. | | contact: Jan-Ole Robertz | | More info... |
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| 28 July 2004 | | Publication of the report on the German trials with the MineBreaker. | | The report summarises the trials executed by the German Armed Forces with the MineBreaker, using life AT-mines as test targets. The report is a follow-up of the trial report published earlier, whereby the MineBreaker was tested along with four other mine clearance vehicles using surrogate test targets. | | contact: Manfred Merk | | More info... |
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| 27 July 2004 | | The ITEP is preparing to test handheld dual-sensor mine detectors. | | Two small scale tests will be carried out during September and October in Sweden and the UK respectively, in order to prepare adequately for field trials to be executed, starting at the end of 2004. The ITEP field trials will assess the HSTAMIDS (see ITEP Work Plan Project 2.4.2.6) and the ERA dual sensor mine detector (see ITEP Work Plan Project 2.4.2.4) under operational conditions. | | | | More info... |
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| 28 June 2004 | | Recognition of ITEP activities during the Second Preparatory Meeting of the First Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention. | | ITEP is mentioned next to the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and the Mine Action Information Centre (MAIC) in the context of the Second Preparatory Meeting of the First Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction. The draft review paper, dated June 2004, states that ITEP has emerged as a forum for technology-developing countries to avoid duplication in the test and evaluation of equipment, systems and methods. Furthermore, it is underlined that the ITEP database is accessible from the United Nations electronic information network E-mine. | | | | More info... |
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| 23 June 2004 | | US announces the test and evaluation of the Pearson Mine Clearing Survivable Vehicle to be performed under the ITEP banner. | | The United States Demining Research and Development Program is pleased to announce a mechanical T&E exercise in which the Mine Clearance Survivable Vehicle (Pearson Engineering Ltd., United Kingdom) is to be tested under the ITEP banner (ITEP Work Plan project 3.2.5). Canada and the UK have expressed interest in participating in this evaluation and it may be feasable for other ITEP Partners to attend. Exact dates for the trial and a detailed trial plan are expected to be available in July 2004. | | contact: Lee Offen | | More info... |
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| 7 June 2004 | | The ITEP project Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (STEMD) is well underway | | The STEMD project is executed by the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) with active support from other ITEP Participants. Laboratory trials are ongoing and the first of the three planned regional tests will be executed in Laos during August 2004. Preparations for a second regional trial in Croatia are also underway. The third regional test is planned to take place in Mozambique. | | contact: Thomas Bloodworth | | More info... |
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| 12 May 2004 | | Canada announces the test and evaluation of two flail devices to be executed under the ITEP banner. | | Canada is pleased to announce a mechanical T&E exercise in which the Bozena-4 mini-flail (Way Industry a.s, Slovak Republic) and the RM-KA-02 medium flail (Duro Dakovic, Croatia) are to be tested under the ITEP banner. Currently, the confirmed ITEP partners are Sweden and the United Kingdom. The testing methodology prescribed in the recently approved CWA 12 will be used. The trials are planned to take place during the period June 2004 - September 2004. | | contact: Geoff Coley | | More info... |
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| May 2004 | | Publication of the UK DFID Mine Action Policy for the Test and Evaluation of Mine Action Equipment | | This document was submitted by the UK as part of a study undertaken under the ITEP umbrella. The particular study was tasked to investigate current criteria used to select equipment for test and evaluation | | | | More info... |
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| 20 April 2004 | | The CEN Workshop Agreement for Test and Evaluation of Demining Machines (CWA12) has been approved. | | After 4 meetings, attended by representatives of the user community, manufactureres of demining machines, GICHD, donors and testing agencies, the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on Demining Machines has been approved. After finalisation of the CEN registration procedure, the CWA will be distributed in the public domain, amongst others via the ITEP standards webpage. | | contact: LtCol Claes Wolgast | | More info... |
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| April 2004 | | Job opportunity, Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors | | The EC Joint Research Center (JRC) has an available position for Detached National Expert or Visiting Scientist from one of the following countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia or Turkey. The successful candidate will join the test team of the STEMD (Systematic Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors) project. | | | | More info... |
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| 31 March 2004 | | Publication of the Minutes of the Mechanically-assisted Clearance Equipment Workshop on Test and Evaluation Standards | | The Workshop was held at Defence R&D Canada - Suffield, hosted by the Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies (CCMAT) in May 2002. The aim of the Workshop was to identify critical criteria for the test and evaluation of Mechanically-assisted Clearance Equipment (MCE) and recommend guidelines or record a series of best practices for carrying out T&E activities. The Workshop provided important input to the work of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) Workshop Agreement on Demining Machines (CWA12) currently in its final drafting stage. | | | | More info... |
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| 26 March 2004 | | Testing of the EOD-IS, an information system to support mine clearance activities, is currently ongoing | | Through co-operation with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, GICHD, the EOD IS-Survey system developed in Sweden, will be subject to tests in Chile, Albania, Western Sahara and Cambodia during spring. From March 15-28, 2004, Capt. Fredrik Johnsson will start up the project in Chile. | | | | More info... |
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| 28 April 2004 | | Invitation to EOD-IS Survey rollout | | This is an invitation to ITEP Participants and other interested parties within the demining community to come to the EOD-IS Survey rollout in Stockholm on the 28th of April 2004. The EOD-IS Survey rollout is an handheld field data collection tool for EOD and mine clearance. The presentation will take place on the 28th of April 2004, between 1:30 PM and 6:00 PM at Konserthuset in central Stockholm. | | | | More info... |
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| 22 March 2004 | | The Proceedings of the BAM workshop on Reliability Tests for Humanitarian Demining" are now available. | | The Proceedings of the workshop "Reliability Tests for Humanitarian Demining", organised by BAM (December 2003), are now available. The summaries of the break-out sessions and the major findings and recommendations are published here. A copy of the workshop CD, containing all presentations, can be obtained on request from the workshop organisers Christina Mueller or viewed at Workshop Reliability Tests | | | | More info... |
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| 19-20 April 2004 | | Last meeting of the CWA 12 Workshop on demining machines - April 2004, Sibenik, Croatia | | The last meeting of the CWA 12 Workshop on demining machines will be held from the 19th to the 20th of April 2004 in Sibenik, Croatia.The purpose of the meeting is to review the comments received on the CWA 12 text, that was drafted during the third workshop meeting in November 2003. | | | | More info... |
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| 17 March 2004 | | Test Report: Field testing of the SDTT Segmented Roller | | Publication of the report Field Testing of the SDTT Segmented Roller, a collaborative effort between Canada (CCMAT), the US (HDP) and the Thailand Mine Action Centre (TMAC). | | | | More info... |
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| 26 February 2004 | | ITEP DIETEC and the MAIC Lessons Learned Database | | In partnership with the U.S. State Department, ITEP and UNMAS, the MAIC website now hosts a wide range of mine action-related lessons learned. The combination of lessons learned and experiences/results are framed in a logical structure and contained in two searchable databases, the ITEP DIETEC and the MAIC Lessons Learned Database. The collection and publication of information derived from mine action experiences have the aim to highlight key issues and observations relevant to all areas of mine action. In particular, the ITEP database is intended to provide useful information for a variety of T&E stakeholders, ranging from test engineers and entities involved in large-scale T&E campaigns to the individual user at the field level interested in evaluating his/her specific piece of equipment. The MAIC Lessons Learned Database contains lessons in a broader range of subject areas. | | | | More info... |
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| | US test report: "Development and Test of the Humanitarian Demining Sifting Excavator" | | Publication of the US test report "Development and Test of the Humanitarian Demining Sifting Excavator". | | | | More info... |
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| 23 February 2004 | | Dutch test report: "Instrumented Prodder: Results from the Tests under Controlled Conditions" | | Publication of the Dutch test report "Instrumented Prodder: Results from the Tests under Controlled Conditions". | | | | More info... |
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| 6 February 2004 | | CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747:2003) | | An opportunity to provide your feedback on the CEN Workshop Agreement on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors (CWA 14747:2003) is available at the CW07 site. Fill in the on-line questionnaire. | | | | More info... |
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| 27 January 2004 | | Armtrac 75 trials | | ITEP partners are currently preparing to trial the Armtrac 75. | | | | More info... |
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| 12 January 2004 | | Metal detector handbook for humanitarian demining | | Publication of "Metal detector handbook for humanitarian demining". A book about metal detectors, covering detection procedures in the field, and the testing and evaluation of metal detectors for humanitarian demining. | | | | More info... |
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| 9 January 2004 | | Swedish Test Report: "Diana 44T Test and Evaluation" | | Publication of the Swedish Test Report on "Diana 44T Test and Evaluation". | | | | More info... |
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| 8 January 2004 | | International Workshop on Reliability of Detection in Humanitarian Demining Dec. 2003 | | Outcome of the International Workshop on Reliability of Detection in Humanitarian Demining held in Berlin, Germany, from the 16th to the 17th of December 2003. | | | | More info... |
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| 23 December 2003 | | UK Test Report: "Field Trials for Minelifta" | | Publication of the UK Test Report on "Field Trials for Minelifta, Bosnia June 2003 to Sept 2003". | | | | More info... |
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| 19 December 2003 | | Swedish Test Report on Test and Evaluation of Machine for Removal of Anti-personnel Mines MV-4 | | Publication of the Swedish Test Report on Test and Evaluation of Machine for Removal of Anti-personnel Mines MV-4 | | | | More info... |
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| 16 December 2003 | | Training Seminar on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors - Introduction for End-Users - 28-29 January 2004 | | JRC is organizing a Training Seminar on Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors - Introduction for End-Users on the 28-29 January 2003. | | | | More info... |
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| 16 December 2003 | | Workshop "Reliability Tests for Humanitarian Demining" -16-17 of December 2003 - Berlin, Germany. | | The Workshop on "Reliability Tests for Humanitarian Demining", orhanized by BAM, will be held in Berlin, Germany from the 16th to the 17th of December 2003. | | | | More info... |
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| 4 December 2003 | | US Test Report: "Trace Chemical Mine Detection Data Collection - Final Scientific And Technical Report" | | Publication of the US Test Report on "Trace Chemical Mine Detection Data Collection - Final Scientific And Technical Report". | | | | More info... |
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| 3 December 2003 | | ERA multisensor MINETECT Pre-trials | | During 25-26 of November 2003 pre-trials of the ERA multisensor MINETECT took place at SWEDEC on request of the Swedish Defense Material Administration. | | | | More info... |
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| 3 December 2003 | | Swedish Test Report: Trials with Thermite Lances "Small and Large" | | Publication of the Swedish Test Report on Trials with Thermite Lances "Small and Large" from FOI Sweden. | | | | More info... |
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| 3 December 2003 | | UK test report: "T&E of QinetiQ & ERA portable mine detectors" | | Publication of the UK test report "T&E of QinetiQ & ERA portable mine detectors". | | | | More info... |
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| 5 November 2003 | | ITEP Project 2.1.1.2 "Reliability model for metal detector evaluation" | | The ITEP Project 2.1.1.2 "Reliability model for metal detector evaluation" will be running the last series of metal detector trials at the Technical Centre 52 (GE Army) from the 17th of November until the 28th of November 2003. | | | |
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| 5 November 2003 | | Systematic test and evaluation of metal detectors - STEMD | | EC launches a new Project: "Systematic test and evaluation of metal detectors - STEMD". | | | | More info... |
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| 5 November 2003 | | "Systematic test and evaluation of metal detectors - STEMD" | | Information to new EC project. | | | | More info... |
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| 17 October 2003 | | Swedish Test Report after Trials with Mine Detection Dogs (MDD) and the Mechanical Mine Clearance System Scanjack | | Publication of the Swedish Test Report after Trials with Mine Detection Dogs (MDD) and the Mechanical Mine Clearance System Scanjack. | | | | More info... |
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| 10 October 2003 | | Swedish Test Report on Trials with Termite Charges | | Publication of the Swedish Test Report on Trials with Termite Charges. | | | | More info... |
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| 19 September 2003 | | CEN Workshop Agreement on T&E of Demining Machines | | Progress Report: CEN Workshop Agreement on T&E of Demining Machines. | | | | More info... |
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| 24 June 2003 | | Minefield Marking USER FOCUS GROUP Meeting | | Minutes of Minefield Marking USER FOCUS GROUP Meeting. | | | | More info... |
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| 1 June 2003 | | CEN Workshop Agreement CWA 14747:2003 | | Publication of the Metal Detector CEN Workshop Agreement CWA 14747:2003. | | | | More info... |
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| 15 May 2003 | | ITEP Project 2.2.2.1 "T&E of existing GPR" | | Planned Meeting for ITEP Project 2.2.2.1 on "T&E of existing GPR". | | | | More info... |
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| 5 May 2003 | | ITEP Project 2.1.1.2 | | The ITEP Project 2.1.1.2 , led by Germany started its practical phase with the training of the "deminers" involved in the execution of the test. Four detectors from Ceia (IT), Ebinger, Foerster, Vallon (all GE) are used to define the reliability of detector tests, i.e. how many personnel, targets etc. shall be involved to achieve reliable data from the statistical, technical and human influence points of view. After the first assessment of the results further tests are foreseen in Croatia and Germany in June & September accordingly. The results will be generalised and added to the standards for testing of metal detectors CWA 07. | | | |
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| 31 March 2003 | | Discussion Day on Soil Electromagnetic Characteristics and Metal Detector Performance | | The Proceedings of the Discussion Day on Soil Electromagnetic Characteristics and Metal Detector Performance are now available. | | | | More info... |
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| 31 March 2003 | | Viking Power Dozer trial | | The Viking Power Dozer was evaluated to determine its application to military mine clearing and humanitarian demining operations. A report of the trials is available on the CCMAT web site. A prototype version of the mine hammer was evaluated. Other trials include the ProneMat being developed at The University of Calgary and the Complex Lower Leg under development at the University of Waterloo. In October, proof of concept trails for APL-DRUMS being developed by Guigne International, were carried out. A trial of a segmented roller is planned for March-April in Thailand as a collaboration between CCMAT, Night Vision Laboratory (Ft Belvoir) and TMAC under ITEP sponsorship (ITEP project 3.2.3). | | | | More info... |
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| 31 March 2003 | | CEN Workshop Agreement | | Draft version 9 of the CEN Workshop Agreement as edited after the 3rd CW07 Meeting is now available. | | | | More info... |
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| 31 January 2003 | | IMAS Review Board meeting - 31st of January 2003 | | The IMAS Review Board met on January 31st 2003The current stage of the updating process is now available. | | | | More info... |
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| 15 January 2003 | | 3rd Demining Technologies Information Forum (DTIF) | | The Proceedings of the 3rd Demining Technologies Information Forum (DTIF) - Workshop on Ground Penetrating Radar in Support of Humanitarian Demining - held in Ispra last September are now available in the DTIF Journal. | | | | More info... |
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| 12 December 2002 | | Discussion Day on "Soil Electromagnetic Characteristics and Metal Detector Performance" | | | | | More info... |
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| 9 December 2002 | | 3rd Meeting of CEN Workshop 7: Humanitarian Mine Action - Test and Evaluation - Metal Detectors | | | | | More info... |
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| 31 October 2002 | | ITEP Project 3.2.2 | | ITEP Project no. 3.2.2, led by Sweden started. | | | | More info... |
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| 25 July 2002 | | ITOP Standards | | ITOP Standards available now. | | | | More info... |
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| 27 June 2002 | | UN Afghan Test Report on Metal Detectors | | Summary of the UN Afghan Test Report on Metal Detectors now available. | | | | More info... |
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| 14 June 2002 | | Germany | | Germany becomes formally member to ITEP. | | | |
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| 13 June 2002 | | ITEP Work Plan | | Adoption of the ITEP Work Plan. | | | | More info... |
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| 1 March 2002 | | Mechanical Equipment For Mine-Clearance In The Region Of South-East Europe | | | | | More info... |
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| 1 January 2002 | | Mechanical Demining Equipment Catalogue Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining | | The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) Mechanical Demining Equipment Catalogue for 2002 was published. | | | |
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| 30 November 2001 | | ITEP Project nr. 1 Systematic Inventory of Test & Evaluation Activities, Capabilities & Needs in South Eastern Europe | | The first ITEP project on Systematic Inventory of Test & Evaluation Activities, Capabilities & Needs in South Eastern Europe was finalized. | | | | More info... |
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| 7 September 2001 | | First Anniversary of ITEP | | On July 17, 2000 the Memorandum of ITEP was signed at the Royal Military Academy (RMA) of Belgium by 6 Nations and the European Commission. | | | | More info... |
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Recent Entries
| July 2010 | | APOPO-PARADIS project final report | | more info... |
| June 2010 | | Soil characterization data in support of the 2009 ITEP dual-sensor trial | | more info... |
| June 2010 | | Oracle II tiller trial at SWEDEC | | more info... |
| April 2010 | | ITEP equipment database update | | more info... |
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