Route clearance (IEDs)

Route clearance is a routine part of counter-IED efforts performed by military forces around the world. The purpose of route clearance is to secure an important route and render it for safe transport. This mission relies on sapper and EOD forces. Although mines have been used in warfare for years, the rise of IEDs in current conflicts has led to the development of the current route clearance doctrine.

A typical route clearance package (RCP) consists of a sapper platoon, EOD team, at least one medic, and HEMTT wrecker staffed by a team of mechanics. RCPs are clearly recognized by troops as they use the Husky vehicle-mounted mine detector, as well as the Buffalo (mine protected vehicle). While these vehicles provide superb protection and are critical in finding and destroying IEDs they are unarmed, so the rest of the platoon must protect them while in operation. Moreover, the loss of the Buffalo or the Husky vehicles would greatly reduce the counter-IED potential of the RCP as it would no longer possess the capability to locate or remove IEDs with high effectively resorting to secondary options such as using remote controlled vehicles, using standard MRAPs equipped with digging tools in place of the Buffalo, and dismounted foot patrols to locate the trigger points in known danger areas.

In the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), route clearance is done by Combat Engineering Corps soldiers, either by EOD operators and trackers on foot or by IDF Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozers backed by armored fighting vehicles.

Afghanistan

US forces entered the war in Afghanistan in 2001.