Bomb Disposal During A Firefight: The Future Of Close Support EOD

British Army bomb disposal units have developed new methods and honed traditional search skills to deal with explosive threats in conflict zones.

Drawing on experience from Afghanistan, 821 EOD & Search Squadron, part of 33 Engineer Regiment EOD are held at high readiness for rapid deployments overseas.

They provide bomb disposal and search skills to high-readiness Parachute Regiment soldiers and Royal Marine Commandos overseas.

'Exercise Hurricane Rain 2' worked on a technique known as 'Close Support Explosive Ordnance Disposal'.

Working alongside 40 Commando, 821 Squadron worked in a team size that works better alongside troops in urban environments.

During the exercise, these specialist soldiers also honed their search skills in a dense and complicated training area.

Major Andy Hambley, OC 821 EOD and Search Squadron, told Forces News the new faster tactics for countering explosive devices have been developed following the experiences of dealing with improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan.  

"It's very likely that we'll be fighting through urban areas where we won't have time for the Afghanistan approach of very slow and methodical clearance of IEDs."

The new tactics aim to deliver smaller teams with specialists taking on additional roles on operations where the threat from IEDs is smaller. 

WO2 David Boardman, 821 EOD and Search Squadron, said:

"It's designed to allow the infantry or the assaulting forces to maintain their momentum."

The threat to troops from trip wires, booby traps and pressure plates continues to evolve and EOD units are at the forefront of efforts to counter them.

The world of bomb disposal and search is constantly evolving and these troops must continue to keep ahead of the game for their high readiness role.