A major research and development program costing about $50 million over five to eight years is needed to sharply accelerate efforts to remove deadly landmines that kill thousands of civilians each year in 90 nations, according to a RAND report. It could take about 450 years to remove all the abandoned landmines from current and past conflicts around the world if the current slow pace of landmine detection and removal continues, even if no new landmines are planted, according to the RAND Science and Technology Policy Institute report.
The report said research is needed to develop new technology than can replace the World War II-era equipment that remains the mainstay of worldwide efforts to remove landmines.
The report said research is needed to develop new technology than can replace the World War II-era equipment that remains the mainstay of worldwide efforts to remove landmines.
Researchers cited the need for a new generation of landmine detectors that would be more accurate and reliable to speed landmine removal.
The U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President commissioned the RAND study, titled
"Alternatives for Landmine Detection." The study focuses on close-in detection of anti-personnel mines in post-conflict regionsóso called "humanitarian de-mining."
The U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President commissioned the RAND study, titled
"Alternatives for Landmine Detection." The study focuses on close-in detection of anti-personnel mines in post-conflict regionsóso called "humanitarian de-mining."