ABSTRACT
The basic components of an improvised explosive device (IED) are the explosive main charge and the fuzing system. However, there are many other types of components that may be utilized in the construction of an improvised device, but are not included in the fuzing system or main charge. As we have seen in Chapter 2, there are many types and forms of explosives that are available to the builder of an improvised device. Likewise, there are many components, both wholly improvised and commercially available for the fabrication of the fuzing system. Logically, there are more fuzing system components available than types of explosives the fuzing systems are designed to initiate. Additionally, the fuzing system, with regard to recovered evidence following the explosion of the main charge in an improvised device, is very different from the explosives. With the exception of recoverable residues or microscopic particles of unconsumed explosives, the explosive main charge does not normally survive the explosion of the device. On the other hand, components of the fuzing system and other nonexplosive components such as containers consistently survive the explosion, although in altered form, and are sometimes radically altered because of the quantity of explosives used. Studies have shown that approximately 90%, by weight, of the nonexplosive components survive the explosion. In many cases, it is the proximity of the components to the explosives that dictates the survivability of the components. For example, a microswitch in contact with a block of C-4 will
fragment into microscopic pieces, whereas that same microswitch moved a few inches away from the explosive, even in large bombings, might survive. The percentage of recoverable components does decrease in massive explosions.
