Range Master

The Range Master is a remotely operated mechanical excavation and sifting system that removes surface and near surface munitions, in a single pass. USA, with Timberline Environmental as subcontractor, received a contract from the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) for the development and demonstration of the system. Range Master is an armored remote-controlled Caterpillar 633D Scraper. It has an integrated power screen and hopper with dump control for faster, safer excavation of the top 6 to 12 inches of heavily contaminated UXO sites (e.g. target centers). Sifted soil is returned to the site while screened objects are dumped for UXO identification and disposal. The remote control range is 5,000 feet. During Phase I, Range Master was successfully demonstrated at Ft. Ord, CA in February 2004. The armored Phase II Range Master successfully demonstrated it’s remote control capabilities at the former Lowry Bombing and Gunnery Range, CO in June 2006. Excavation results indicated that an experienced primary exacavator operator is required.
 

For the EE/CA project at the Waikoloa Maneuver Area, HI, USA evaluated the multi-gate EM basalt discrimination developed for the EM63 in support of the EM61 MK2 Waikoloa Phase III Geophysical Prove-Out (GPO). Reliably detecting all near-surface seed items, this technology is now being integrated into industry-standard software.

QA Instrument Development

USA developed and demonstrated a magnetometer instrument to assist MEC QA Specialists detect and discriminate anomalies to project requirements for size and depth. This project was funded as a task order under USA’s MEC Response and Services contract with the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville. A design flaw discovered during testing terminated the project.