'Blade' of water that can cut through steel to be used in Afghanistan to destroy IEDs



A device that shoots a blade of water capable of penetrating steel is to be used in Afghanistan to help soldiers disable improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.

The Stingray was developed by Sandia National Laboratories and 3,000 of the gadgets are heading out to U.S. soldiers in the region this year.

Stingrays are filled with water and an explosive material that - when detonated - creates a shockwave that travels through the water and speeds it up, creating a thin, powerful blade of water capable of penetrating steel.

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‘The fluid blade disablement tool will be extremely useful to defeat IEDs because it penetrates the IED extremely effectively,’ said Greg Scharrer, manager of the Energetic Systems Research Department at Sandia.



‘It’s like having a much stronger and much sharper knife.’

The Stingray can be either placed right next to the IED or some distance away.



It uses minimal explosive material, its plastic legs can be attached in various configurations so that it can be placed in different positions to disable bombs and it’s built so that robots can easily place it near a target.

OTHER USES FOR STINGRAY TECHNOLOGY

As well as in military engagements, the device could play a part in: Law enforcement

Airport security

Forced entry into buildings



Unlike traditional explosives, which release energy equally in all directions when they go off, researchers use shaped-charge technology to deliberately manipulate the explosives.

This means that they can create a certain shape when they explode, allowing the operator to focus the energy precisely where it is needed to create the 'blade' of water.

Steve Todd, a mechanical and materials engineer with extensive Navy experience fighting IEDs, said: 'That allows you to have a high-speed, very precise water blade to go through and do precision type of destruction on whatever improvised explosive device it’s going up against.



'Immediately behind the precision water blade is a water slug, which performs a general disruption that tears everything apart.'



'We’re putting the explosive in a flat tray and we’re shaping the water,' Scharrer said.

The basic concept of the devices was actually first developed in the 1970s in Britain to deal with IRA explosives, but has been refined over the years.



Researchers used computer simulation and high-speed flash X-rays, which can look inside imploding high-explosive devices, to fine tune the design.

The company’s first priority is to get the device to troops in Afghanistan, but eventually Sandia would like to sell it to law enforcement and airport security agencies.



The device also could be used for forced entry into buildings.