VANTAGE: Versatile Array Nanotube Tomography for Advanced Ground Exploitation

Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians operate in some of the most complex, high-risk environments across the globe. Whether responding to improvised explosive devices (IEDs), vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED), unexploded ordnance (UXO), or advanced foreign weapon systems, EOD airmen require precise situational awareness and rapid threat assessment capabilities to protect personnel, aircraft, and mission-critical infrastructure. However, existing X-ray imaging solutions used by EOD teams are often constrained by bulky form factors, slow acquisition times, two-dimensional outputs, and a limited ability to penetrate dense or shielded materials. These limitations can delay decision-making, increase operator exposure, and reduce mission success in time-critical scenarios.Legacy systems also lack meaningful autonomy or intelligent assistive functions. The burden of image interpretation falls entirely on the operator, who must manually evaluate low fidelity 2D images, often under austere conditions, using analog threat recognition techniques. As adversaries continue to adopt more sophisticated concealment methods, including deep-buried ordnance, non-metallic casings, and layered shielding, the need for agile, high-resolution, and intelligent imaging tools is the difference in success and failure.