Security

Is Iran Behind Afghanistan's 'Superbombs?'

There are signs that Explosively Formed Penetrators –- a type of improved weapon known as a "superbomb" for its ability to pierce armored vehicles –- are spreading further in Afghanistan. And there are more accusations that these EFPs are coming from Iran. But how much evidence is there to back up these claims? According to […]

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There are signs that Explosively Formed Penetrators –- a type of improved weapon known as a "superbomb" for its ability to pierce armored vehicles –- are spreading further in Afghanistan. And there are more accusations that these EFPs are coming from Iran. But how much evidence is there to back up these claims?

According to the *Observer, *"evidence found by UK special forces is understood to concern the supply of the same bomb-making equipment Iran provides to insurgents in Iraq, namely components for explosively formed projectiles, or EFPs. Senior Whitehall sources said they were concerned about Iran's 'nefarious' influence in the supply of 'lethal aid' in the form of EFPs."

However, as we reported earlier, the Iranian connection is by no means clear:

Kelly said "We don't see Afghanistan and Iraq are associated on the improvised explosive devices (IEDs). We think Afghanistan and IEDs seen in Afghanistan really have their own unique signature."

EFPs are have been used elsewhere, notably by Hezbollah. Michael Knights, writing for Jane's Intelligence Review, claims that the EFPs could be manufactured using toolsthat "can easily be found in Iraqi metalworking shops and garages." This claim seems to have been borne out by the discovery of EFP copper lens factories in Iraq. (The picture, above, is of an Iraqi EFP cache.)

Whatever the source of the Afghan EFPs, they represent a significant threat. As an earlier survey of military personnel found:

About 80% of US casualties in Iraq come from IEDs, and members of the US and Afghan military who were interviewed for this study believe that the absence of mass-casualty suicide bombings and
EFPs are the two factors that made Afghanistan less dangerous than Iraq.

Four British troops were killed last week in Afghanistan when their lightly-armored Landroverwas struck by a bomb . It is not known whether this was an EFP attack.
Although such weapons can penetrate the heaviest vehicles, including the British Challenger II tank, the danger is greatest for the lighter armor commonly used in
Afghanistan. Finding the source of the Afghan EFPs and stopping them could save a lot of lives.

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