A statement of user requirement-mine detection

There is growing concern that many minefields do exist which require an advanced detector in order to achieve the almost certain level of detection now needed. The concern is all the greater because the means to meet this need has not yet been found. Indeed, there is a wide debate within the scientific community about how best to meet the need. However, this paper considers only what the user-the people who will use the equipment to find the mines-actually want. Both the military and the humanitarian communities need a detector which is capable of finding all mines whether nonmetallic, minimum-metal, or metallic. It is required as a replacement for the current conventional hand-held metal-only seeking detectors and should be contained in a single equipment. The capabilities expected of any new equipment include: detection capability; operation; electronic characteristics; controls/alarms; electromagnetic compatibility; operating conditions; and reliability and maintainability