Scalable Disruptor

Passenger cars, vans, tractor-trailer rigs, and tanker trucks have been effectively used to conceal, transport, and deliver large quantities of explosives in terrorist attacks. In cases where a VBIED can be identified and isolated before it detonates, bomb squads require a system capable of rapidly penetrating, cutting, and/or dismantling the vehicle structure and dispersing/disrupting the device without initiating it, all in a single operation. The scalable vehicle bomb disruptor developed by Applied Research Associates, Inc. is a system based on commercial-off-the-shelf plastic containers of various sizes and commercial explosive materials readily available to State and local bomb squads. The tamped detonation wave-shaping device results in a reduction of explosive mass and therefore reduced collateral damage. Fabrication information and operational guidance is available on CD-ROM for distribution to accredited bomb squads. Requests for copies of the CD-ROM should be sent to iddsubgroup@tswg.gov.