Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom have required extensive use of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel and Special Operations Forces (SOF) to deal with the growing threat from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), the potential for encountering Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) materials, as well as the huge array of conventional explosive munitions found in these operating theaters.

Moreover, EOD and SOF personnel have been tasked during these recent conflicts with conducting explosive operations using very limited supplies of tools and equipment, due to the rough terrain and need to travel on foot with sufficient supplies for many days before re-supply arrives. All of this leads to the need for more compact, lightweight, multi-purpose tools that can be rapidly fielded to respond to emerging threats.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal/Low Intensity Conflict (EOD/LIC) Program has been on the cutting edge, bringing new technology to EOD and Special Operations since 1990. EOD/LIC is an Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) Program designed for the rapid prototyping of field-able systems.

Robotic systems are being deployed to do the jobs that cause the greatest risk to EOD operators. Unmanned Ground Vehicles such as the advanced TALON robots are being used extensively to locate booby-traps, ambushes and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Remotely controlled weapons are being developed to destroy scattered sub-munitions and other explosive threats.

Information that can be readily accessed in the field on handheld digital assistants is being provided to EOD as never before.

As the risk of terrorist attacks on Navy ships has increased, more developmental effort has been focused on the needs of divers in low visibility conditions to search ship hulls and docks. Lightweight explosive counter-charges are being developed to allow divers to carry several devices at the same time in order to rapidly destroy multiple underwater threats.

The needs of Homeland Defense have brought new challenges such as Port Security in which EOD/LIC technologies are beginning to play an important role.

The EOD/LIC Program is expanding into more challenging areas of development, supporting additional customers inside and outside of DoD, and is having a growing impact on military field operations. EOD/LIC supports the warfighters, and contributes its unique technology and systems for the War on Terrorism.