SERDP and ESTCP recently hosted the annual Spring In-Progress Review (IPR) meeting for the Munitions Response Program Area May 19-20, 2015. Eleven projects were discussed during the two-day IPR covering fieldwork, analysis, and project progress accomplished over the last year. The first portion of presentations included Dr. Thomas Bell (MR-1711 and MR-201310), Dr. Fridon Shubitidze (MR-2225), Dr. Len Pasion (MR-2318), Dr. Laurens Beran (MR-2226), and Mr. David Hodo (MR-201311) who discussed geophysical applications and support tools for munitions detection and classification on land. These investigators largely presented progress related to EMI-based classification techniques, performance predication, and risk assessment. Mr. Hodo also highlighted improvements of geolocation in GPS-compromised environments.

During the second portion of the meeting, several principal investigators presented results on munitions detection in the underwater environment. Dr. Gregory Schultz (MR-201233), Dr. Joseph Bucaro (MR-2103), Dr. Peter Traykovski (MR-2319), Dr. Joseph Calantoni (MR-2320), and Dr. Todd Holland (MR-2411) discussed the development of multiple technologies to study the detection, identification, and mobility of submerged unexploded ordnances (UXOs). SERDP and ESTCP have directed future munitions response research efforts to study the behavior of UXOs in the underwater environment and anticipate the results of the projects that were presented at the IPR.