The 1972 original had three wheels and looked like a wheelbarrow, hence the name. This is the Mk8b version. It can cross the most rugged terrain, climb stairs and even move cars. The built-in camera means an Ammo Tech can disarm a bomb from relative safety.
An Ammo Tech explains how to disarm a bomb
Whether it’s a booby-trapped car rammed with petrol cans in Afghanistan, a makeshift mortar pointing at British troops in Iraq, or a lump of Semtex found on a UK street, it’s the Ammo Tech’s job to make it harmless.
Sure, you can use clever robots to disarm dangerous devices from a safe distance (see picture), but sometimes it’s just not possible. Plan B? Get in there and disarm the device by hand.
WO2 Mark Dawson, an Ammo Tech instructor, tells us what it takes.
"I get to blow stuff up for a living."
Why would anyone want to do this job?
"I get to blow stuff up for a living. I joined up as a driver and worked with bomb disposal teams in Northern Ireland. Their job seemed so exciting that I decided to do that instead."
But isn’t it dangerous?
"Of course. You might have to get in there and put your life on the line. And to make matters worse, 9 times out of 10 Ammo Techs have to do their job with a battle raging around them – the longer they spend disarming the bomb, the more of a target they make themselves.
We train you to stay calm and concentrate. Ammo Techs have to think logically and be great problem-solvers – they’ve got to be able to think on their feet, react very quickly and be utterly confident in their skills."
"We are trained to stay calm and concentrate."
You’re going to disarm a bomb. Where do you start?
These are the three main bomb types that Ammo Techs learn about.
1. Time-operated. Timers that will run down then detonate.
2. Command-operated. These devices need someone to watch them.
3. Victim-operated. A bomb that uses somebody to trigger a switch – that could be a fishing wire stretched across the road, a pressure mat buried in the ground or even just a car door that needs to be opened.
