PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – Picatinny was host to a national group of engineers, first responders, and industry and defense leaders during the 35th Annual National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Firepower Conference Sept. 28.
Army Lt. Gen Michael L. Oates, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), was the keynote speaker at the conference, which focused on Combating Terrorism and Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Oates also toured several labs on the arsenal to view how technologies are developed here to help warfighters combat IEDs in Afghanistan.
“In the time I’ve been here today, we’ve probably lost one or two Soldiers to IEDs – that’s how serious the situation is,” Oates said. “In Iraq and Afghanistan, there is still an IED threat, so coming here today and seeing what the workforce can do for us is very important.”
Photo caption: Army Lt. Gen Michael L. Oates, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) gets a hands-on look at the Ripsaw – a remotely operated, weaponized vehicle designed to provide IED defeat capability – during his visit to Picatinny Arsenal Sept. 28.
