The Infernal Machine: The Use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) against U.S. Forces

The use of IEDs against U.S. military forces did not begin during Operations Enduring OEF and Iraqi Freedom OIF. Instead, both unconventional and conventional military forces engaged the U.S. military with IEDs in nearly every major since the U.S. Civil War. Many of the devices and their associated tactics, techniques and procedures TIPs for construction, placement and. use encountered by the U.S. military and its allies during OEF and OIF are similar to IEDs used throughout the last 150 years. The popularity that IEDs gained during OEF and OIF has the potential to become a transnational threat utilized against both the U.S. military and domestic targets. lEDs enable smaller, less equipped forces to level the playing field against larger, adversarial forces. Insurgents and terrorists within Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrated the effectiveness of IEDs. The military should expect future conflicts would include the use of IEDs. The U.S. military must continue to research technologies, develop training, and create doctrine designed to address the lED threats of the future.