CASR

Canadian
American
Strategic
Review

Canadian Forces Landmine Detection and Mineclearing  —  November 2004 ILDS  —  the Improved Landmine Detection System : A Quick Summary of the Mine Detection Systems Behind the CF’s Remote ILDS Part 1:  Background on Canadian Forces Remotely-Operated Landmine Detection. Tracks and Wheels:  Vehicle Types and Vehicular Operation of ILDS Components The Canadian Forces ‘Improved Landmine Detection System’ (ILDS) entered service in 2004. Its first operational deploment being to Afghanistan.  ILDS is a multi-sensor, tele-operated detection and mineclearing system comprised of three vehicle types – the remotely-controlled detection and clearing Protection Vehicle (or PV, sometimes referred to as the ‘Proving Vehicle’ ), the smaller Remote Detection Vehicle (or RDV), and the Control Vehicle which houses the single control console for the PV and twin consoles for the RDV.  Combat Engineers in the CV control the remote vehicles from a safe distance (up to 2km away) by radio signal. Remote vehicles work in sequence. The armoured Protection Vehicle (or PV, based on the tracked M113A2 APC ) is the first in. The PV uses its mine plough (known to the CF as a SMCD or Surface Munitions Clearing Device) to snag any tripwires, and to detonate surface mines and shallowly-buried munitions. Above the SMCD is an array of metal detectors (the ‘Magnetic Signature Duplicators’ ). On top of the hull is an infrared imager The wheeled ILDS Remote Detection Vehicle (RDV) was purpose-designed for its role. The RDV relies on the PV to clear surface munitions and demarcate a path through the minefield.  Mine detection is through the concurrent use of four different sensors. First is the metal detectors, then a infrared imager, next is ground-penetrating radar , and finally a ‘thermal neutron activation’ detector which confirms the presence of explosives in the soil. The RDV also has a marking system to simplify later clearing of its sweep path. The normal RDV operating speed is 3km/h. All of this remote activity is controlled from a set of consoles or Control Vehicle Stations [1] situated in the Control Vehicle (CV).  The CVS allows the Combat Engineer  operators of  the ILDS to control the remote vehicles while also monitoring  data returned  from  their sensors. Driving  inputs are controlled  by the Ancæus computer  program.  Ancæus allows operators to control their vehicle by video link  (or ‘tele- operated’ mode) or Ancæus can drive without direct human intervantion using GPS satellite-based waypoint navigation capabilities. [1] The software developer CDL Systems refers to these consoles as ‘Ground Control Stations’. To further confuse matters, ‘Vehicle Control Station’ (‘VCS’ as opposed  to ‘CVS’)  is used  to describe  the software employed  in these remote-control consoles.