Explosive Ordnance Disposal Charge Delivery System

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technicians are tasked with the mission of neutralizing explosive devices in maritime environments. Devices encountered include naval sea mines and underwater improvised explosive devices (UWIEDs). These devices are typically classified as bottom, drifting, or moored, depending on their intended deployment in the water column. The current technique to neutralize sea mines, or UWIEDs, requires an EOD Technician to secure an over-pressurization charge (OP Charge) in the proximity of the device. This manual neutralization technique presents great risks to EOD personnel and includes not only the explosive detonation risks associated with activating a sea mine, but also the inherent risks associated with diving operations. To reduce risk to EOD divers, engineering efforts were conducted under SBIR Phase I and Phase II contracts to design and test a Modular EOD Charge Delivery System (EOD CDS) that could be delivered remotely by a Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or a Modified off-the-shelf (MOTS) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The objective was to design a system that would meet end user requirements while enabling adequate flight performance and stability of the ROV during and after charge placement. Specific efforts were aimed to provide the warfighter with a modular charge capability incremented at 1.25lbs, 2.5 lbs, 3.75 lbs, 5 lbs, 6.25lbs, 7.5 lbs, 8.75 lbs, 10 lbs, 20 lbs, and 30 lbs. These charge increments provide the EOD technician with a scaled response capability to meet a variety of threats for bottom and moored targets.