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NAVSEA Commands Team to Rapidly Support Deployed Warfighters

NAVSEA News

07 March 2003

By Bill Transue, Naval Explosive Ordnance Technology Division

INDIAN HEAD, Md. -- Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NAVEODTECHDIV) and the Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity (NOSSA) in Indian Head recently combined efforts with Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division in Indiana, to rapidly provide 30 titanium EOD disrupters to select EOD units deployed to terrorist threat locations around the globe.

EOD technicians use disrupters to energetically neutralize terrorist devices and unexploded ordnance. The new T2 Titanium Disrupter is approximately one-third the weight of a similar steel disrupter, enhancing the mobility of EOD technicians in combat environments.

The T2 Disrupter, as originally designed by another command for use in the special operations community, used a firing initiation system not yet safety qualified by the Navy and not in production. In order for joint service EOD technicians to use the T2 immediately, NAVEODTECHDIV personnel developed the T2 Shock Tube Adapter, using an initiation system currently employed by EOD, the Small Caliber Disrupter, the Percussion Actuated Non-electric Disrupter and several other systems in development.

While the new firing initiation system costs about the same as the one-time-use initiation system, the new system can be reused; its repair parts are standard for the systems mentioned above; and it uses standardized demolition items already qualified and supported by the Navy ammunition logistics system.

Crane Division estimates the reusable initiation system will provide the Navy an annual cost avoidance in excess of $250,000, totaling $2.5 million over the 10-year life span of the tool.

The T2 Shock Tube Adapter also increases the EOD war fighters' mobility, allowing them to carry additional demolition materials, which not only support this particular tool, but numerous other systems and missions as well. NAVEODTECHDIV supports the EOD tool and equipment requirements of all the military services, so this innovative development will be available not only to the Navy, but also to the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force

The T2 Titanium Disrupter and T2 Shock Tube Adapter have been introduced nearly a year in advance of schedule and will be available for current operations.

NAVEODTECHDIV, NSWC Crane Division, and NOSSA cooperatively documented, tested, and approved the system less than 10 days from the date Navy EOD operators issued an urgent call for its advanced release, demonstrating their capability to respond to the needs of the warfighter.