Electrical wire creating a circuit
Push button switch
Electric detonators
Detonating cord link
Power sources
Image 4. Image showing the IED’s detonators wired in parallel. This adds redundancy to the circuit
In this example the firing switch is a push button connected to two detonators wired in parallel and a power source of three 9V batteries in series, providing 27 volts. Having the detonators in parallel provides redundancy as, should one not function, then it is still possible for the other to initiate the IED. Further redundancy would be provided if this VBIED contained additional firing circuits with their own integral firing switches and power sources. The following could be incorporated so that if the driver was incapacitated then the VBIED would still function:
• Time switch.
• RC switch.
• Bump switch – built into the front of the vehicle. This would operate like a horizontal pressure plate and should the VBIED be driven into the target it would function on contact.
A large armoured VBIED requires a lot of resources to construct. Considering this, it is reasonable to expect that armed groups would incorporate some form of redundancy in a large VBIED to ensure it functions successfully.
IED tactics
297
Powered by FlippingBook