CBS: IED Attacks Decrease Dramatically (1 Viewer)

[Dave]

After warning that the threat of deadly EFPs, or Explosively Formed Penetrators, was growing at an alarming rate, the U.S. military now says there's been a "dramatic" decrease in the use of the powerful roadside bombs.

EFPs "can punch through most of the armor out on the battlefield today," Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman said of the devices, which U.S. officials have said come from Iran. ...

"In February, we noticed a 47 percent decrease in explosively formed penetrators being detonated against our troops, a 53 percent decrease in the number of troops wounded and a 51 percent decrease in the number of troops killed" by the devices, he said.

The reported decrease came as the U.S. military offered to reporters what it said was proof that weapons like EFPs were being manufactured in Iran. The Iranian government has denied any involvement in providing weapons or material support to Iraq's insurgency.

According to Garver, the reasons for the marked drop in EFP incidents could include the detention of three Iranians in Baghdad in December. One of the men was believed to be a high-level Operations Officer with the Quds Force of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2591791.shtml

 

[blackadder]

After warning that the threat of deadly EFPs, or Explosively Formed Penetrators, was growing at an alarming rate, the U.S. military now says there's been a "dramatic" decrease in the use of the powerful roadside bombs.

EFPs "can punch through most of the armor out on the battlefield today," Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman said of the devices, which U.S. officials have said come from Iran. ...

"In February, we noticed a 47 percent decrease in explosively formed penetrators being detonated against our troops, a 53 percent decrease in the number of troops wounded and a 51 percent decrease in the number of troops killed" by the devices, he said.

The reported decrease came as the U.S. military offered to reporters what it said was proof that weapons like EFPs were being manufactured in Iran. The Iranian government has denied any involvement in providing weapons or material support to Iraq's insurgency.

According to Garver, the reasons for the marked drop in EFP incidents could include the detention of three Iranians in Baghdad in December. One of the men was believed to be a high-level Operations Officer with the Quds Force of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard.
[URL="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2591791.shtml"]http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n2591791.shtml[/URL]

And the reasons might include the the holding strategy associated with the surge.

That was an awful lot ogf IEDs for three Iranians to be making.

Don't you think that after 4 years they would have transferred enough knowledge to allow Iraqis to build these on their own?

 

[DadsDream]

EFP's are different from IEDs.

An IED can be made from anything, cobbled together in any way to blow up. Anybody can build them.

An EFP requires some highly technical knowledge and skills. It has to be made just-so, to certain scientific specifications, or it won't work. That requires a precision of manufacture which is beyond the capabilities of your average garden variety jihadist.

Explosively Formed Projectiles
http://www.afrlhorizons.com/Briefs/Dec04/MN0407.html