Objective:
The area affected by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the continental United States alone is estimated to exceed 10 million acres. Current methods used to remove UXO from test ranges and impact sites are costly and expose explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians to risk. EOD technicians use manual methods to clear the area, including digging, carrying, and operating excavation equipment, that require them to be in close proximity to or physical contact with UXO. The objective of this project is to demonstrate the Magnetic UXO Recovery System (MURS) to assess the effectiveness, production rate, and cost of the system in recovering UXO. Technology Description: In an effort to utilize existing Department of Defense resources and equipment, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has a robotic excavator that permits an electromagnet retrofit. Use of the automated ordnance excavator (AOE) has streamlined the overall magnetic UXO recovery system development. MURS draws on AFRL's AOE and the existing relationship between Caterpillar and Walker Magnet in its design of a novel magnetic recovery system. The electromagnet could be useful for shallow water, soil surface, and potentially subsurface UXO recovery. Underground removal will be addressed by coupling conventional excavation processes onto the magnet and using the AOE to scrape the ground surface. Expected Benefits: MURS would be capable of remote operation, saving multiple man years per site for clearance and improving the surety of land clearance due to autonomous operations. Current range clearance operations exceed $500,000 per operation, and this system would reduce this cost by an order of magnitude. It also would be capable of removing UXO from shallow water (up to 15 ft deep) and lifting UXO from soil and sediment in the subsurface without hazard. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2008) Principal Investigator: Mr. Bill Lewis Air Force Research Laboratory Materials & Manufacturing Directorate Robotics Research and Development Group 104 Research Road Tyndall AFB, FL 32403 Telephone: (850) 283-3725 Fax: (850) 283-9710 E-mail: bill.lewis.ctr@tyndall.af.mil
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