The landmine problem in Angola is extensive and requires a degree of scale in order to clear all known minefields within a reasonable timeframe.
Since starting work in Angola in 1994 HALO has expanded to currently employ over 800 Angolan staff and 10 full-time expatriates in support, spread over five provinces. Very considerable progress is being made; even so, HALO estimates that at the current rate and capacity clearing Angola of landmines will take approximately ten more years.
One HALO innovation developed to tackle the threat from anti-tank mines on roads, and that has helped open up Angola’s road system to normal traffic, has been the Road Threat Reduction (RTR) system. RTR is a two part process. First, a large metal detector is used to systematically sweep a road to locate metal cased anti-tank mines. Secondly, a heavy detonation trailer passes down the road. The trailer is designed to detonate any minimum metal or plastic anti-tank mines still capable of operating. This system is not classed as clearance per se but it does provide a significant reduction in threat and can be carried out at a much faster speed than clearance in order to cope with thousands of kilometers of suspect road with a low mine density threat.