'IED Defeat Task Force' also in the private
sector.
by Erwin, Sandra I.
When the Defense Department launched its campaign against the
biggest killer of U.S. troops in Iraq--roadside bombs--it reached out to
defense contractors and academia for technologies to counter IEDs, or
improvised explosive devices. It created the Joint IED Defeat
Organization to evaluate, test and acquire technologies. Last month, one
of the nation's largest defense contractors unveiled a
"Raytheon IED-Defeat Task Force," with a website to recruit
industry and academic partners to help defeat improvised explosive
devices. "Potential partners can join the effort by registering
solutions and ideas at http://www.raytheon.com/missions/rtn07_ied,"
says a company news release.
Observers have wondered whether this project in any way competes
with the government, but Raytheon says it does not. The company
"supports the JIEDDO effort and works within the JIEDDO process to
develop and field IED solutions to our war fighters," says Jim
Madora, director of the Raytheon IED Defeat Task Force.
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