FLC | Navy T2 team wins patent for bomb-disposal device

Navy T2 team wins patent for bomb-disposal device

January 30, 2020

A U.S. device patent was issued on January 20 for a bomb-disposal technology designed to improve public safety during large-scale emergencies like the Boston Marathon Bombing. The technology is the result of a multi-year T2 collaboration that included the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NSWC IHEODTD).

Engineers and scientists from the NSWC IHEODTD met in 2016 with bomb technicians from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; New York City Police Department; and the Massachusetts and New Jersey State Police to discuss lessons learned from the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing and how those lessons could influence the explosive ordnance disposal strategies of civilian law enforcement officials.

The new blast mitigation device uses water to slow the speed with which blast fragments travel after an explosion. It resembles a 55-gallon plastic garbage can to contain the explosive device, with an internal structure that can hold a protective layer of water or other impact-reducing materials like ceramics or gels. The blast mitigation devices are stackable, which makes them easy to transport and store.