RCIEDs (remote controlled improvised explosive devices) are the weapon of choice of terrorists in “hot spots” the world over. IEDs have become the top threat against coalition forces and are responsible for over 67% of all US and coalition deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. From July 2003 to July 2007, 1,565 coalition forces were killed by IEDs, according to iCasualties.org. IEDs are also a homeland threat to many democracies as well, in use by homegrown radical groups and criminal elements.

IEDs come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. IEDs can be stashed in animal carcasses, cardboard boxes even drink cans. They can be buried at the side of major roads, strapped to donkeys, camouflaged in rocks and garbage.

IEDs can be made almost anywhere, using materials that can be acquired from agricultural and medical supplies. Extensive technical knowledge is not a requirement. In fact, many "IED engineers" get their information from instructions received from documents distributed by terrorist organizations or over the internet. As they are not based on standard production formula, IEDs are more difficult to track and detect, (although they sometime have traces that can identify their origin). When constructed properly, IEDs can defeat even the highly protected threats, including main battle tanks and heavily armored bulldozers. Some IEDs utilize very heavy (200 pounds and more) explosive devices, buried below the surface of unpaved or paved roads, where they are covered, wait for activation by remote control. As vehicle armor has improved on military vehicles, insurgents have begun placing IEDs in elevated positions such as on road signs, utility poles, or trees, in order to hit less protected areas.

The sophistication of an IED depends on the training of the designer and the tools and materials available.

Increasingly vehicle-borne IEDs are used in Iraq and Afghanistan to strike police stations, markets, and mosques to kill local citizens as well as troops. Recent news reports indicate that insurgents in Iraq have now resorted to kidnapping victims for the purpose of secretly booby-trapping their cars. The unknowing victims are then released, and their vehicles are detonated by remote control when they reach a certain location.

The list of devices terrorists use to remotely trigger IEDs is also long and ever growing. Terrorists use whatever is available, usually household devices, like cell phones, garage door openers, burglar alarms, key fobs, doorbells, or remote controls for kids’ toys. Most of these devices operate on radio frequency communications at some frequency level or another.

Jammers save the lives of soldiers by blocking the radio waves emitted by the terrorists’ remote control devices from reaching the IED detonator so the IED does not explode. Jammers must be configured to block the specific frequencies at the sufficient output power level to be successful.

To outwit the military, terrorists constantly change the devices they use. This forces the military to adapt their jammers in a cat and mouse game that is ever more sophisticated and tricky.

In every mission profile, troops and vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan risk IED threats on a daily basis. 

In the early years of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the first jammer models were heavy, bulky devices that were only suitable for fixed installations or installation in heavy military vehicles. Since then jammers have been adapted to every combat zone.

Jammer manufacturers must keep a watchful eye on the most recent developments in the war on terror and remain consistently steps ahead, innovating countermeasures to match existing, and to meet future, threats.

Longtime Israeli battlefield familiarity with IED’s has driven the development of several cutting edge companies that have become world leaders in the counter IED EW industry. Most notably among them is Netline Communications Technologies, Ltd. Netline, based in Tel Aviv, is at the forefront developing and manufacturing jamming systems used in anti-IED protection for the Military and Security communities worldwide. Because of the need for fast innovative solutions for the constantly changing jamming market, Netline’s is a technology driven company with a large R&D department.

Netline’s large high power jammers are installed in military convoy vehicles that open supply routes along roadways. For smaller vehicles, more lightweight jammers such as Netline's C-Guard Compact ECM are installed. When the need arose for a jammer system that was both vehicle installed and easily transported off-vehicle to locations with no electric power source, Netline developed the C-Guard TXP ECM trolley style jammers. To protect ground troops in remote areas where vehicle access is even more difficult, a number of even lighter handheld jammers have been developed including Netline's C-Guard ManPack jammers that are comfortably carried in a backpack style harness by a single soldier.

Operations in built-up areas are specifically complicated and Netline has adapted jammers to this special environment as well. This equipment is now part of standing orders for these kinds of operations.

Since EW IED threats vary depending on war theatre and available materials that terrorists have to work with, Netline’s jamming systems are programmable allowing users to customize the jamming capabilities depending on field and combat demands. Programmability affords the user that maneuverability to customize their equipment without having to share intelligence with the manufacturers of the jammers when devices are initially configured.

A lesson learnt from NATO involvement in war against terror in the Iraq and Afghanistan theatres is the difficulty in dealing with a very agile, adaptive, innovative and flexible enemy. In Iraq insurgents quickly adapt commercial electronics to continually create new devices and weapons to attack coalition forces, but it can take many months to introduce a new countermeasure system in response, not including the training time to effectively use the system. In volatile environments like Iraq and Afghanistan minimizing downtime of systems is crucial. To solve this problem, Netline has developed an versatile line of jammer that can be upgraded in the field by replacement of individual modules without compromising system integrity and readiness.

Because the volatile nature of the Iran and Afghanistan war theatres demand solutions for such diverse and constantly changing mission profiles, jammer design can be very tricky. Whereas, in principal, the largest and most powerful jammer is most desirable, the customer needs to consider operational parameters. Jammers must be optimized for power output and coverage while maintaining mission appropriate system dimensions, weight, antenna sizes, maneuverability requirements and radiation safety requirements, to name but a few.

Netline’s products are also used by Homeland Security forces worldwide like Bomb squads, anti-terror units, riot control units, special response teams, SWAT teams, and for EOD and VIP protection.