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Supported by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization 
Have Limited Applicability to Humanitarian Demining' which was 
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GAO-11-578R: 

United States Government Accountability Office: 
Washington, DC 20548: 

May 20, 2011: 

Congressional Committees: 

Subject: Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices: Most Initiatives 
Supported by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization 
Have Limited Applicability to Humanitarian Demining: 

Landmines and other explosive remnants of war cause thousands of 
casualties worldwide each year. Since 1993, the United States--through 
the Department of State's (State) Humanitarian Mine Action Program--
has contributed funding to more than 80 countries, providing tens of 
millions of dollars annually to rid the world of landmines and other 
explosive remnants of war. In 2006, to address the counter-improvised 
explosive device (IED) threat against U.S. military forces, the 
Department of Defense (DOD) established the Joint IED Defeat 
Organization (JIEDDO). Through fiscal year 2010, Congress has 
appropriated more than $17 billion to JIEDDO to quickly develop and 
field counter-IED solutions. 

In the committee report accompanying the House of Representatives' 
version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 
2011, the House Armed Services Committee directed that we review the 
applicability of JIEDDO initiatives to humanitarian demining efforts. 
[Footnote 1] To respond to the requirements of this mandate, we 
addressed the following questions: (1) What JIEDDO-supported 
technologies has DOD identified that could be applicable to 
humanitarian demining? and (2) To what extent does coordination occur 
(a) within DOD and (b) between DOD and State regarding JIEDDO-
supported technologies that could be applicable to humanitarian 
demining? 

To conduct our work, we reviewed the information paper DOD presented 
to Congress in August 2010 on the potential for applying JIEDDO-
supported technologies to humanitarian demining efforts. We also 
analyzed State humanitarian demining-related policies and procedures 
issued since 2002 and related DOD guidance issued since JIEDDO was 
established in 2006. To understand the analysis and assumptions used 
to prepare DOD's information paper, we conducted interviews with 
officials from JIEDDO; DOD's Office of Assistant Secretary of 
Defense/Special Operations Low-Intensity Conflict & Interdependent 
Capabilities/Stability Operations Capabilities (SOLIC), OSD's lead 
agency for DOD support of humanitarian mine actions; and DOD's 
Humanitarian Demining Research & Development Program (HD R&D), which 
focuses on the development, testing, demonstration, and validation of 
technology for immediate use in humanitarian demining actions 
worldwide. We also spoke with Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors 
Directorate (NVESD) officials to review and understand the DOD-wide 
database used to manage explosive hazards technology programs and 
Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division officials 
concerning current explosive ordnance disposal technologies. To 
identify specific formal and informal coordination mechanisms used 
within DOD and between DOD and State, we interviewed officials from 
SOLIC; HD R&D; the Unexploded Ordnance Center of Excellence (UXOCOE), 
which serves as the clearinghouse for information on DOD's explosive 
hazards technology programs; NVESD; and State's Bureau of Political 
Military Affairs' Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement. 

We conducted this performance audit from October 2010 through May 2011 
in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain 
sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our 
findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe 
that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our 
findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 

In summary, DOD reviewed 150 JIEDDO-supported technologies and 
identified 6 that could potentially be applicable to humanitarian 
demining. However, 4 of the 6 technologies identified by DOD either 
duplicated those already being used or, because of technical issues, 
were not suitable for use in humanitarian demining. DOD plans to 
further review the other two technologies for possible use in 
humanitarian demining. In general, inherent differences between 
counter-IED and humanitarian demining operations limit the extent to 
which JIEDDO-supported technologies can be used in humanitarian 
demining. For example, in counter-IED operations, DOD's mission is to 
clear the affected area only to the extent that forces can mobilize 
safely. In humanitarian demining operations, the purpose is to clear 
the affected area of all (100 percent) landmines and other explosive 
remnants of war so that it can be used for civilian purposes, such as 
farming. 

Coordination mechanisms exist within DOD and between DOD and State 
regarding their efforts to determine whether JIEDDO-supported 
technologies could be applicable to humanitarian demining. Within DOD, 
SOLIC and HD R&D use both formal and informal mechanisms to coordinate 
with other DOD offices about which off-the-shelf technologies are 
being developed or supported by JIEDDO that might be applicable to 
humanitarian demining. These mechanisms include attendance at weekly 
JIEDDO board meetings, participation in the UXOCOE annual Resources 
Managers Meeting, and communication with DOD offices through e-mails 
and phone calls. To coordinate which off-the-shelf or JIEDDO-supported 
technologies might be applicable to humanitarian demining, DOD and 
State use informal coordination mechanisms--e.g., participation in the 
HD R&D Biennial Requirements Workshop and communication through e-
mails and phone calls. Given the extent to which DOD and State 
regularly communicate, coupled with the limited applicability of 
counter-IED technologies to humanitarian demining, the level of 
coordination within DOD and between DOD and State appears to be 
adequate for identifying technologies applicable to humanitarian 
demining. 

We are not making recommendations in this report. 

Enclosure I contains briefing slides that provide additional details 
regarding our findings. DOD and State did not provide written comments 
on this report. However, after reviewing a draft of this report, DOD 
officials agreed with its content and provided technical comments, 
which we incorporated where appropriate. Similarly, State officials 
said that our report was presented accurately but did not provide any 
additional comments. 

We are sending copies of this report to the appropriate congressional 
committees. We are also sending copies to DOD and State. This report 
will also be available at no charge on our Web site at [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov]. 

Should you or your staff have questions concerning this report, please 
contact me at (202) 512-3863 or moranr@gao.gov. Contact points for our 
Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on 
the last page of this report. Key contributors to this report were 
Cary Russell, Assistant Director; Connie Sawyer, Jr.; Rebecca 
Guerrero; Lonnie McAllister; and Mae Jones. 

Signed by: 

Revae Moran:
Acting Director, Defense Capabilities and Management: 

Enclosure: 

List of Committees: 

The Honorable Carl Levin:
Chairman:
The Honorable John McCain:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Armed Services:
United States Senate: 

The Honorable John F. Kerry:
Chairman:
The Honorable Richard Lugar:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Foreign Relations: 
United States Senate: 

The Honorable Daniel Inouye:
Chairman:
The Honorable Thad Cochran:
Ranking Member:
Subcommittee on Defense:
Committee on Appropriations:
United States Senate: 

The Honorable Howard McKeon:
Chairman:
The Honorable Adam Smith:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Armed Services:
House of Representatives: 

The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: 
Chairman:
The Honorable Howard Berman:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Foreign Affairs:
House of Representatives: 

The Honorable C. W. Bill Young: 
Chairman:
The Honorable Norman Dicks:
Ranking Member:
Subcommittee on Defense:
Committee on Appropriations:
House of Representatives: 

[End of section] 

Enclosure: 

Counter Improvised Explosive Devices: Most Initiatives Supported by 
the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization Have Limited 
Applicability to Humanitarian Demining: 

Briefing for Congressional Committees: 

May 20, 2011: 

[End of section] 

Contents: 

* Introduction:
* Key Questions:
* Scope and Methodology:
* Summary:
* Background:
* Findings:
* Agency Comments: 

Introduction: 

Each year, landmines and explosive remnants of war cause thousands of 
casualties worldwide. Since 1993, the United States, through the 
Department of State's (State) Bureau of Political-Military Affairs/ 
Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement Humanitarian Mine Action 
Program, has contributed funding for humanitarian demining to more 
than 80 countries, providing tens of millions of dollars annually to 
rid the world of landmines and other explosive remnants of war. In 
2010, State reported that, since 1993, it had received almost $2 
billion in total funding for the Humanitarian Mine Action Program. 
Humanitarian demining is one of the focus areas of humanitarian mine 
action and is primarily conducted by foreign militaries, contractors, 
non-governmental organizations, and host country personnel. 

In 2006, to address the threat of improvised explosive devices (IED) 
to military missions, the Department of Defense (DOD) established the 
Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). Its mission is to lead, 
advocate, and coordinate all DOD actions to defeat IEDs. Through 
fiscal year 2010, Congress has appropriated over $17 billion to JIEDDO 
to rapidly develop and field counter-IED solutions, such as detectors 
and electronic jammers. 

In the Committee report accompanying the House of Representatives' 
version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 
2011, the House Armed Services Committee directed that we review the 
applicability of JIEDDO initiatives to humanitarian demining efforts. 
[Footnote 2] 

Key Questions: 

To respond to this mandate, we addressed the following questions: 

1. What JIEDDO-supported technologies has DOD identified that could be 
applicable to humanitarian demining? 

2. To what extent does coordination occur (a) within DOD and (b) 
between DOD and State regarding JIEDDO-supported technologies that 
could be applicable to humanitarian demining? 

Scope and Methodology: 

To address the first question, we reviewed the August 2010 information 
paper DOD presented to Congress on the potential for applying JIEDDO- 
supported technologies to humanitarian demining efforts. To understand 
the analysis and assumptions used to prepare this paper, we 
interviewed officials from the three DOD entities that prepared it: 

* the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense/Special Operations 
Low-Intensity Conflict & Interdependent Capabilities/Stability 
Operations Capabilities (SOLIC), OSD's lead agency for DOD support of 
humanitarian mine actions; 

* JIEDDO; and: 

* the Humanitarian Demining Research & Development Program (HD R&D), 
which focuses on the development, demonstration, and validation of 
technology for immediate use in humanitarian demining actions 
worldwide. The Countermine Division of the Army's Research, 
Development and Engineering Command's Night Vision and Electronic 
Sensors Directorate executes this program for SOLIC, which provides 
oversight and guidance. 

During our interviews with key officials from these entities and 
State, we corroborated our understanding of the differences between 
counter IED and humanitarian demining operations. We discussed plans 
with officials from HD R&D for deciding which of the identified 
technologies would be tested to determine their applicability to 
humanitarian demining. We also interviewed officials from the Army 
Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate to review and 
understand DOD-wide data they manage for DOD's explosive hazards 
technology programs and the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal 
Technology Division concerning current explosive ordnance disposal 
technologies. 

To address the second question, we reviewed DOD and State policies and 
procedures to determine requirements for coordination related to 
JIEDDO-supported technologies that could be applicable to humanitarian 
demining. We focused on State guidance issued since 2002 and on DOD 
guidance issued since JIEDDO was established. Specifically, we 
reviewed: 

* State's Humanitarian Demining Programs Policy and Procedures Manual, 

* DOD Directive 2000.19E for JIEDDO, and: 

* the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 3207.01B for 
Military Support to Humanitarian Mine Actions. 

To identify specific formal and informal coordination mechanisms, we 
interviewed officials from: 

* SOLIC; 

* HD R&D; 

* the Unexploded Ordnance Center of Excellence (UXOCOE), which serves 
as the clearinghouse for information on DOD's explosive hazards 
technology programs; 

* the Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate; and: 

* State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs/Office of Weapons 
Removal and Abatement Humanitarian Mine Action Program. 

We conducted this performance audit from October 2010 through May 
2011, in accordance with generally accepted government auditing 
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit 
to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable 
basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 
We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for 
our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 

Summary: 

Question 1: 
DOD reviewed 150 JIEDDO-supported technologies and identified 6 that 
could potentially be applicable to humanitarian demining. However, 4 
of the 6 technologies identified by DOD either duplicated those 
already being used or, because of technical issues, were not suitable 
for use in humanitarian demining. DOD plans to further review the 
remaining two technologies for possible use in humanitarian demining. 
Differences between counter-IED and humanitarian demining operations 
limit the extent to which JIEDDO-supported technologies can be used 
for humanitarian demining. For example, counter-IED focuses on force 
mobility whereas humanitarian demining focuses on clearing all mines 
in a large area. 

Question 2: 
Several mechanisms exist for coordination within DOD and between DOD 
and State regarding technologies that could be applicable to 
humanitarian demining. Although there are no formal criteria requiring 
coordination within DOD and between DOD and State to identify JIEDDO- 
supported counter-IED technologies that may be applicable to 
humanitarian demining, we found that the informal coordination 
mechanisms in place worked fairly well. 

* Within DOD, SOLIC and HD R&D determine what commercial off-the-shelf 
or DOD technologies could be applicable to humanitarian demining 
efforts by coordinating with other DOD offices through formal and 
informal mechanisms (e.g., attending weekly JIEDDO Board meetings, 
participating in the UXOCOE annual Resources Managers Meeting, and by 
communicating through emails and phone calls with DOD offices). 

* Between DOD and State, informal mechanisms for coordination include 
the HD R&D Biennial Requirements Workshop and regular phone calls 
between State, SOLIC, and HD R&D. 

* Given the extent to which DOD and State regularly communicate, 
coupled with the limited applicability of counter-IED technologies to 
humanitarian demining, the level of coordination within DOD and 
between DOD and State appears to be adequate for identifying 
technologies applicable to humanitarian demining. 

Background: 

Humanitarian mine action focuses on three main areas: (1) mine 
detection and clearance -humanitarian demining, (2) mine-risk education 
- teaching local citizens how to recognize landmines, and (3) survivor 
assistance - providing medical, rehabilitation and support services to 
victims and their families. 

Humanitarian demining includes activities directly related to the 
identification and clearance of landmines and explosive remnants of 
war. HD R&D, the lead organization for developing humanitarian 
demining technologies within DOD, develops, demonstrates, and 
validates cost effective technologies for use in humanitarian 
demining. Humanitarian demining operations are generally manual, labor-
intensive, and conducted after military conflicts have ended. Fields 
must be completely cleared of all landmines and unexploded ordnance in 
order for them to be certified by the host country as being cleared. 

Counter-IED operations can be mechanized (involving technologies such 
as jammers and electronic sensors) and conducted during military 
conflicts. They often involve using classified technologies. Counter- 
IED operations are often conducted quickly for specific military 
purposes, such as clearing roads so that military troops and equipment 
can be moved into an area. In many cases, the areas do not have to be 
completely cleared; they only need to be cleared for the purpose of 
the military operation. 

Table 1: Functions and Funding for Some Organizations Related to 
Humanitarian Mine Actions and Demining Technologies: 

Organization: HD R&D (DOD); 
Function: Under the oversight of SOLIC and operating within the Army's 
Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, serves as DOD's lead 
for developing humanitarian demining technologies. Conducts 
humanitarian demining research and development focusing on the 
development, testing, demonstration, and validation of technology for 
immediate use in humanitarian demining efforts worldwide; 
SOLIC Research, Development, Technology & Evaluation; 
Funding: Fiscal years 2006-2010: $69.8 million. 

Organization: Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DOD); 
Function: Among other activities--supervises, manages, and funds the 
Humanitarian Demining Training Center located at Fort Leonard Wood, 
Missouri; 
Funding: Source: Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid; 
Funding: Fiscal years 2006-2010: $12.8 million. 

Organization: UXOCOE (DOD); 
Function: Serves as a clearinghouse for information on DOD's explosive 
hazards technology programs; 
Funding: Source: Assistant Secretary of Army Installations Energy and 
Environment, Research Development Technology & Evaluation; 
Funding: Fiscal years 2006-2010: $5.6 million. 

Organization: Bureau of Political Military Affairs' Office of Weapons 
Removal and Abatement (State); 
Function: Lead organization in coordinating U.S. humanitarian demining 
efforts worldwide; 
Funding: Source: Non-Proliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and 
Related Programs; 
Funding: Fiscal years 2006-2010: $569.5 million. 

Source: GAO generated from agency data. 

[End of table] 

Under law, DOD personnel are restricted in the extent to which they 
may actively participate in humanitarian demining operations. 

10 United States Code (USC) § 401(a)(1) states that DOD personnel may 
carry out certain "humanitarian and civic assistance activities in 
conjunction with authorized military operations of the armed forces in 
a country if the Secretary concerned determines that the activities 
will promote: 

(A) the security interests of both the United States and the country 
in which the activities are to be carried out; and: 

(B) the specific operational readiness skills of the members of the 
armed forces who participate in the activities." 

10 USC § 407(a)(3) specifies that the Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure no member of the U.S. Armed Forces, while providing 
humanitarian demining assistance does the following: 

(A) "engages in the physical detection, lifting, or destroying of 
landmines or other explosive remnants of war (unless the member does 
so for the concurrent purpose of supporting a United States military 
operation); or: 

(B) provides such assistance as part of a military operation that does 
not involve the armed forces." 

Findings: 

Question 1: DOD-Identified Technologies: 

In response to congressional issues raised in H.R. Rep. No. 111-491, 
SOLIC, JIEDDO, and HD R&D conducted a one-time effort to review JIEDDO 
counter-IED initiatives and jointly identified 6 out of a total 150 
technologies that might be used for humanitarian demining: three 
handheld detectors, two vehicular-based detectors and an airborne 
detector. According to HD R&D officials: 

* They are planning to further evaluate two of the six available 
technologies, which are both handheld technologies, to determine their 
potential usefulness in humanitarian demining. 

* The other four available technologies will not be further evaluated 
for the following reasons: 

- Two technologies (one handheld and one vehicular-based) duplicate 
technologies that are already being used by DOD for humanitarian 
demining. 

- The other vehicular-based technology is being used by the Army for 
military countermine operations but will not be explored further for 
humanitarian demining because it requires special vehicles for use and 
organizations performing humanitarian demining generally do not have 
these special vehicles available. 

- The airborne technology's usefulness is reduced when used in areas 
with vegetation, so DOD officials concluded that it would not work for 
humanitarian demining. 

Table 2 lists the six identified technologies, how they are used and 
HD R&D's plans for further testing. 

Table 2: JIEDDO-Supported Technologies that DOD Identified as 
Potentially Applicable for Humanitarian Demining: 

System name: Mini Handheld Stand-off Mine Detection System; 
Technology: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Metal Detector; 
How used: Handheld; 
Further testing: Yes. 

System name: Minehound; 
Technology: GPR; 
How used: Handheld; 
Further testing: Yes. 

System name: Lightweight Beachcomber; 
Technology: Metal Detector; 
How used: Handheld; 
Further testing: No, already have similar technology. 

System name: Vehicle Borne Assisted Detection System; 
Technology: Metal Detector; 
How used: Vehicle based; 
Further testing: No, already have similar technology. 

System name: Husky Mounted Detection System; 
Technology: GPR; 
How used: Vehicle based; 
Further testing: No, requires special vehicles--organizations 
performing humanitarian demining generally do not have these special 
vehicles available. 

System name: Hawkeye; 
Technology: Ground Penetrating Synthetic Aperture Radar; 
How used: Airborne; 
Further testing: No, not useful in vegetation. 

Source: GAO generated from agency data. 

[End of table] 

According to DOD and State officials, humanitarian demining operations 
are very different from counter-IED operations. Table 3 shows some of 
these key differences. 

Table 3: Differences between Counter-IED and Humanitarian Demining 
Operations: 

Counter-IED operations: Take place during wartime; 
Humanitarian demining operations: Take place in a peacetime 
environment where the threat is essentially static. 

Counter-IED operations: Focus on force mobility; 
Humanitarian demining operations: Focus on the detection of each 
landmine rather than mobility. 

Counter-IED operations: Provide for the rapid clearance of mines but 
not for the need to find every device (i.e., 100-percent clearance of 
an area is not required); 
Humanitarian demining operations: Require 100-percent detection and 
elimination of all landmines and explosive remnants of war within a 
large designated area. 

Counter-IED operations: Occur with the primary goal often being to 
disrupt the active communication link of IEDs; 
Humanitarian demining operations: Occur without the primary goal being 
to disrupt an active communications link. (Landmines and explosive 
remnants of war do not have active communications links; 
they are accidentally set off with the application of pressure). 

Counter-IED operations: Take into consideration that an IED can be 
made up of any type of explosive device; 
Humanitarian demining operations: Take into consideration that the 
models and components of landmines and most unexploded ordnance are 
well known. 

Counter-IED operations: May use classified technologies; 
Humanitarian demining operations: May use only unclassified 
technologies. 

Counter-IED operations: Take place often under tight time constraints; 
Humanitarian demining operations: Take place without specified time 
constraints. 

Source: GAO generated from agency data. 

[End of table] 

Findings: 

Objective 2: Coordination Mechanisms within DOD: 

SOLIC and HD R&D use both formal and informal mechanisms to coordinate 
their efforts to identify technologies that could be applicable to 
humanitarian demining. 

* SOLIC: 

- SOLIC officials said that they identify JIEDDO technologies that 
could be applicable to humanitarian demining through participation in 
two weekly meetings of JIEDDO Boards that review counter-IED 
technology proposals: 
1. JIEDDO Requirements, Resources, and Acquisitions Board. 
2. JIEDDO Integrated Process Team. 

* HD R&D: 

- HD R&D officials said that they update information related to 
humanitarian demining technologies and review a database of DOD-wide 
science and technology efforts to identify technologies that may be 
applicable to humanitarian demining. 

- Attends UXOCOE's annual Resources Managers Meeting: 

- Communicates and coordinates regularly through emails and phone 
calls with officials from SOLIC, State, the DOD Humanitarian Demining 
Training Center, and UXOCOE: 

State officials said they keep current on technologies that could be 
applicable to humanitarian demining--including JIEDDO supported 
technologies--through various informal coordination and communication 
mechanisms with the following offices: 

SOLIC and HD R&D: 

* State officials have regular phone conversations with SOLIC 
officials and the HD R&D Program Manager: 

* State officials attend conferences and research development 
symposiums sponsored by HD R&D: 

- HD R&D's Biennial Requirements Workshop brings demining 
organizations together to present and share information related to 
upcoming technology advancements: 

Agency Comments: 

DOD and State did not provide written comments on this report. 
However, after reviewing a draft of this report, DOD officials agreed 
with its content and provided technical comments, which we 
incorporated where appropriate. Similarly, State officials said that 
our report was presented accurately but did not provide any additional 
comments. 

[End of section] 

Footnotes: 

[1] H.R. Rep. No. 111-491, at 354 (2010). 

[2] H.R. Rep. No. 111-491, at 354 (2010). 

[End of section] 

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