Robotics in Counter Terror

Speaker 

Sgt Leroy Fordham is presently a Sergeant in the Explosive ordnance disposal and search regiment, which is the British Army's specialist unit responsible for counter terrorist bomb disposal, EOD and safe disposal of conventional munitions. Joining the army in 2009, his primary responsibility was to drive and maintain the kit and equipment including the EOD robots.

Volunteering to go to Afghanistan in 2012, his team (and robots) dealt with multiple IED’s and was embedded with the Brigade Reconnaissance Force. His job was to deploy behind enemy lines, conduct searches clearing any IED’s so that the infantry could have freedom of movement throughout the area of operations.

He has been deployed in Operation HALLEX (Pakistan), Operation HERRICK (Afghanistan) as a High threat No2, Operation HELVETIC (Northern Ireland) as Infantry escort. While in Pakistan, he trained approximately 250 soldiers ranging from the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, Police and The Rangers on Counter IED. Returning back to the UK and working as a Sergeant in the ammunition cell, his job included moving ammunition all around the world for various exercises hence taking him to several countries including Romania, Norway, USA, Denmark, Holland, Germany, Belize, Spain and Gibraltar.

The average call out for his troop is between 5-10 jobs a week which vary from WWII unexploded ordinance to up and running live IED’s.