Just the job for those Squadron bar projects!
Read more at Logosol
http://www.logosol.co.uk/sawmills/
Combat Engineering
13 Minutes of PEROCC Awesome
In previous posts I have looked at the Pearson Engineering Pearson Engineering Route Opening and Clearance Capability (PEROCC).
It has evolved over a number of iterations into the current, frankly awesome, capability in the video below.
Watching the video above, it is clear that it could replace many of the current Talisman vehicles.
The design differs significantly from the previous version that was developed as part of the Mine Detection, neutralisation and Route Marking System (MINDER) technology demonstrator programme that started in April 1997.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73614187@N03/7472296994/
After a long history of failed projects and short term expedients the Army now has the opportunity to invest in a system that has obviously been the result of a lot of thought and innovation.
The purchase, or not, of this system by the MoD will be a good indicator of whether we intend to dump the many hard won lessons of the last 10 or 15 years of operations from the Balkans to the Afghanistan.
The British armed forces have a rather poor track record of retaining institutional knowledge and seem doomed to constantly relearn the hard way.
Of course, the Army has to be careful to avoid thinking Afghanistan will be the template for future operations. Talisman will evolve and likely merge into a Talisman 2 but there was a programme called the Route Clearance and Mine Countermeasures (RCMC) programme so how Talisman will fit into that and whether something like the PEROCC has a future with the Royal Engineers remains an open discussion.
Read more…
Pearson Engineering
http://www.pearson-eng.com/products/pearson-engineeering-route-opening-and-clearance-system/
With thanks to Owen from Thumb Design (the people who made the video)
Helmand Bridge Repaired
A good example of the Afghan forces and government standing on their own two feet.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/important-helmand-bridge-is-repaired
Flame Throwers of WWII
This is a film from the US OSS on British flame weapons
Scary stuff
http://rcm-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bsco-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B007X3K2PAhttp://rcm-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bsco-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1230522522http://rcm-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bsco-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1848843984http://rcm-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bsco-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1844154645http://rcm-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bsco-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1846141125
Microbial Manufacture
I always find anything that can reduce the logistics footprint of deployed operations interesting. This one caught my eye, microbial manufacture.
Peter Trimble has recently graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA(Hons) Degree in Product Design. As part of his thesis project he looked at methods of reducing energy and materials use in construction.
We know that the current influences and trends in materials technology regarding energy reduction have welcome spin-offs for deployed operations. Reduce the material needs for a given construction project and you reduce the logistics needs, that, never being a bad thing.
The example shows it being used for furniture, in our context I could easily see it being used for general construction and engineering works that would ordinarily use concrete blocks.
From Peter’s website
This project investigates the possibilities of “microbial manufacture”; Replacing energy intensive methods of production with low energy biological processes.
“Dupe” is a microbially induced casting procedure, which presents the bacterium bacillus pasterurii as a method of cementing natural granular materials using minerals as a binding agent for the creation of useful objects.
The process forms mineral composits at biological temperatures. The biomaterial is structurally comparable to concrete, yet the production of the biomaterial produces no greenhouse gases. Concrete is responsible for 5 % of the worlds manmade C02 emissions. The biomaterial produced by this process is a stepping stone in the right direction for the reduction of these carbon emmsions.
Dupe is a low cost production method using very little energy and sand; a cheap and abundant raw material.
Dupe aims to raise questions about the future of industrial manufacturing and illustrates the sustainable potential that the ultilisation of bacillus pasterurii could have with the manufacturing industry. Whilst not providing definitive answers, this experiment aims to provide a point of departure for fresh thinking.
What has energised the press coverage is the use of urine to provide Bacillus pasteurii or Sporosarcina pasteurii as it is now apparently known.
Watch the video
And an earlier TED talk on a similar subject
Read more;
http://www.dezeen.com/2014/02/08/stools-made-of-sand-and-urine-by-peter-trimble/
http://www.gizmag.com/dupe-sand-urine-bacteria-concrete-machine/30804/
All early days yet of course and no one is going to be excited about sitting on a piss filled stool but one to watch for the long term 🙂
Das Sprengsicherungskommando (The Bridge Guard)
Time for a spot of BAOR nostalgia, we were discussing bridge demolition prechamber shafts on a previous thread
The Bridge Guard
More Big Boys Lego
In my last post on Big Boys Lego I highlighted the usefulness of interlocking pre-cast building blocks from Legioblock in the Netherlands.
Elite Precast (thanks Dodster) from Telford also have a wide range of ‘lego style’ precast concrete blocks.
Bailey bridge installation – Danseys Pass, Waitaki District
The marvels of modern military engineering, finding their way into the civilian world far and wide
Bridge 66 carrying Danseys Pass Road over the Maerewhenua River was lost during flooding in June 2013.
Waitaki District Council asked the NZ Transport Agency to install a temporary Bailey bridge. This was done by Downer NZ, the Transport Agency’s Bailey bridge services contractor, in July 2013.
And another, not in New Zealand
Workers from the Washington State Department of Transportation quickly build a bailey bridge over the flood-ravaged banks of the Chehalis River, which reached record levels on Dec. 3, 2007, and ripped out concrete spans that were in place.
Read more at the links
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/network/maintaining/management/bailey-bridge.html
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/01/uk-military-bridging-equipment-the-bailey-bridge/
Stuff that goes bang
Alford Technologies have just opened their YouTube channel
Lots of interesting products, all of them designed to go bang including the Gatecrasher wall breaching systems and Vulcan counter mine system that can be fitted to the Royal Navy Seafox disposal UUV!
Click here to view the channel but the best of, below
And finally, don’t miss Dr Sidney Alfords presentation to the UK Pyrotechnics Society, a Life in Explosives!
Big Boys Legio Blocks
No, not a spelling mistake, the Legio building block system provides for the rapid construction of walls and security barriers.
When installing HESCO, manpower, time and fill material availability are important considerations. In the right place and right time it is easy to imagine something like this offering some advantage over HESCO or other gabbion systems for sangars, ammunition or fuel berms and security barriers for example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOwVC_Z3-AIRead more
Think Defence 