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December 26, 2007
Kohler Co.Helps Save Lives In Iraq
A Cyclone blows a wide swath of air at 180 mph to expose roadside explosives. It's been used for two years in Iraq.
Engines fit devices that disperse bomb-hiding debris
Modified debris sweepers with Kohler engines are helping save the lives of U.S. troops in Iraq.
JS ONLINE
The machines, mounted at the front of military trucks and mine sweepers, blow away roadside debris to expose bombs planted by insurgents. Often they trigger the bombs and take the brunt of the explosion.
"But I would love to see plenty of engines taking the hits rather than soldiers getting killed," said Rich Koehl, director of marketing and quality at Kohler Co.'s engine division.
Insurgent attacks on vehicles have accounted for more than half of U.S. combat fatalities in Iraq, according to the military.
As the improvised explosive devices have become more deadly, the Army and Marines have stepped up efforts to get safer vehicles.
They're also using products such as Cyclone debris blowers made by Buffalo Turbine Co., of Springville, N.Y., with Wisconsin-made Kohler engines.
The Cyclone blows a broad, 180-mph jet of air to expose roadside explosives. The military has more than 100 of the machines in use in Iraq, with more on the way, said Paul Syracuse, general manager at Buffalo Turbine.
In the civilian world, the giant blowers are used to clean debris from streets, golf courses and race tracks. They've also been used at the last eight Super Bowls and in city parks.
"They're a rock-solid leaf blower," said Tom Tiernan, a Kohler distributor in Pennsylvania.
In Iraq, the blowers have been modified with armor plating and diesel engines. Mounted on the front of a vehicle, usually about 10 feet from the operator's cab, they blow away garbage and other debris used to hide roadside bombs.
Dozens of bombs found
The bombs are triggered a variety of ways, including electric eyes, infrared sensors and ordinary springs.
"Garbage is the main hiding place," Syracuse said. "The blowers either trigger the bombs or expose them."
No soldiers have been killed while using the debris blowers, according to Buffalo Turbine. In about two years of use, the machines have exposed or detonated dozens of roadside bombs.
The idea came from former U.S. troops working for an equipment contractor. Now, the machines are an important part of military convoys in Iraq.
"They cruise alongside the road, sometimes leading a convoy," Syracuse said.
The U.S. military uses thousands of Kohler portable generators in Iraq in addition to the engines used on debris blowers.
"I would call it the NASA effect. If the military finds a use for one of our civilian products, we will help them develop a special application for it," Koehl said.
Normally, it can take years for the military to develop and acquire field equipment.
But in 2002, the Army launched an effort to speed things up through a program aimed at identifying unmet needs of combat soldiers and satisfying those needs in 90 to 180 days.
The Army now buys small quantities of equipment and tests it in the field.
Other gadgets
One of the success stories was a remote-controlled robot that looks something like a radio-controlled toy car and is used for detecting roadside bombs. It has a video camera mounted on a retractable arm and headlights to see in the dark.
Another was the use of laser pointers like those used in classrooms as a nonlethal way of dissuading drivers from ignoring security checkpoints in Iraq.
In the past, the bright lights shone at drivers did little to stop erratic behavior. But the green laser pointers, about 50 times brighter than pointers used in classrooms, have proven to be startling and nearly blinding to drivers coming straight at them.
Unlike red laser pointers, the green ones can be seen in midair in the dark. And the unusual color makes them more noticeable.
Initially, at least, aggressive driving was reduced 60% to 80% when the laser pointers were used at checkpoints, according to the Army.
Wild Thing's comment........
This is so neat, I love to see a business advertising that they provide equipment used in Iraq. Like the ads long ago my Dad had in a book of saved things from WW11. Things like:
* from “Dodge PowerWagons in Burma”
* “On the Battle lines or the Transposrt lines - GMCs are out in front”
* “Pontiac Reports to the Nation on Arms Productivity”
And so on - back then businesess were proud to get a piece of both the ‘action’ and the contracts.
For more ads there is also a link to some here.
From the CBI website
This ad is not related to CBI but interestingly illustrates what could be called "Censored Advertising."
It looks like Pontiac submitted the copy for the ad to a military censor who crossed-out any information that might be of help to the enemy. They then prepared the ad with the censored information blacked-out.
The result is doubly patriotic advertising: Pontiac is building arms for the war effort and also will not jeopardize that effort by bragging about it in magazines.
In case the reader did not get the message, it was spelled out for them near the bottom of the ad:
"Seeking to cooperate fully in the war effort, Pontiac has voluntarily censored this advertisement."
Compare that to todays media who, it seems, cannot wait to leak the latest SECRET and risk the lives of our troops. Back then, the USofA was at War. Today, the Marines are at War, the US is at the Mall. Or as the left keeps saying it is Bush's war. GRRRRRRRRRRRR
Posted by Wild Thing at December 26, 2007 12:55 AM
Comments
If the Libs find out this is doing the job you can bet the farm the enemy will know about it with in the next few days.
Bad new for the enemy they could never figure out how to build one.
This is American inginuity in action. The Germans thought they had us stymied on Normandy, when some enterprising Sergeant came up with the idea on how to break through the 'Hedgerows', we did and the Turd Reich was history.
This is one of the unbeatable factors of a free society, unlimited potential and the idea that there is always a better way to do something.
This is why this coming election is so important we MUST keep the leftists defeatist on a short leash and in their pen.
Posted by: Mark at December 26, 2007 09:58 AM
Pretty innovative by our troops, it beats tracking in the same 'foot print' of the vehicle ahead of you in the hopes that they didn't trigger a device, a tact that sometimes works, but not against command detonated devices. I used to call that point duty for truckers. As for the 'journalists most are so full of it that they are best suited as fertilizer anyway, park them in a strap in seat mounted on the front of blower, this concept would keep them honest and provide them with a front row advantage. I wish we could get dedicated journalism that wasn't of the'gotcha mentality so prevalent in the MSM, who under the pretext of being objective, deliberately spill their guts to the enemy, we have a few like Pat Dollard or Michael Yon who would never reveal a mission, a tactic or jeapardize a U.S.life for the sake of the story and far too many like Kevin Sites and his ally Ali al-Mashhadani. The darlings of the ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN Peter Arnett hall of shame.
Posted by: Jack at December 26, 2007 02:06 PM
The political pimps and prostitutes tied our warrior's hands during Vietnam - Rules of Engagement - and the same for Iraq. This WAR would be OVER in weeks if the bastards let the dogs of war loose! And our good ole generals find comfort in the Green Zone, eh?
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 26, 2007 04:52 PM
WT - that is so neat, to go back in time to the '40s and see how overtly America united in the war effort. There was no Code Pink or Nancy Pelosi in the days. After watching A Christmas Story for the umpteenth time yesterday, I would really like to be able to return to the innocence and optimism of the '40s and '50s.
Posted by: TomR at December 26, 2007 07:18 PM
Republicans should get one of the Buffalo Cyclone debris blowers and use it on the Democratic candidates next time they line up for a debate. However, the hot air blowing from Clinton, Obama, and Edwards may not make it all that easy to do them in.
Posted by: Les at December 26, 2007 09:13 PM
Mark, I agree I sure hope we can win this election and like you said...."keep the leftists defeatist on a short leash and in their pen.".
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 26, 2007 11:29 PM
Jack that is exactly what the media has..."the'gotcha mentality"....it is so destructive for our troops and anti-American.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 26, 2007 11:31 PM
Darth, yes it is totally unAmerican and treasonous to tie the hands of our troops with all their pc rules etc.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 26, 2007 11:33 PM
Tom I would love that too so much.
We watched that same movie too this Christmas.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 26, 2007 11:34 PM
Les, LOL great idea.
hahahahahaa
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 26, 2007 11:38 PM
... but... but Senaturd Harry Reid said "We lost this war" months ago! Hmmmmmm?
Posted by: drstrangeloveb52isok at December 27, 2007 12:45 AM
drstrangeloveb52isok, heh heh he lied, he did a-huh he sure did. haha
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 27, 2007 02:42 AM
