The European Defence Agency, in close cooperation with Italy (Lead Nation on the Route Clearance workstream of the Project Team C-IED), recently organized a Route Clearance Industry Day on 27-28 September at the Italian C-IED Centre for Excellence in Cecchignola, Rome.
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) continue to cause significant casualties on operations and are amongst the most significant operational challenges. It is important to address all aspects of countering IEDs and part of this is ensuring mobility in an IED environment. For this reason a Route Clearance Capability is required. Many of the Member States who have identified a need for this requirement have acquired the capability as part of an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) process. Nations are now examining the longer term next generation solutions.
The aim of the Industry Day was to provide industries and pMS with an overview on the state of play of this work strand and the conceptual base summarised by pMS experts in a framework document on Future Route Clearance Capability Development. This overview of Common Military Requirements for Future Route Clearance will allow industries to prepare themselves for eventually supporting the development of the envisaged capability. This initial brief to industry should be the first step along the road to closer cooperation in the development of new capabilities and give industry a better understanding of defence requirements in this area.
Industries with relevant expertise were invited to give a presentation on their current capabilities and ideas to pMS Route Clearance experts and to EDA. A number of CIED related capabilities were briefed which left the Member States with a better appreciation for the current state of the art technologies and it was therefore possible to reconsider the capabilities that could be demanded in this essential area.
The event was well attended by 26 industries from European Member States with more than 100 delegates. Representatives from nine EDA Participating Member States were also present at the event.
The Route Clearance Industry day was a really successful event that allowed industries to position themselves in the direction of the EDA’s thinking and to be given an understanding of the way ahead.