Area denial weapons

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Area denial weapons are used to prevent an adversary from occupying or traversing an area of land. The method does not have to be totally effective (and usually never is) as long as it is sufficient to severely restrict, slow down, or endanger the opponent. Most area denial weapons pose long-lasting risks to anyone entering the area, specifically civillians, and thus are often very controversial.

1 Modern Methods
2 Historical Methods
3 See also

[edit] Modern Methods

[edit] Explosives

The most common are land mines of various types, planted by hand or dispersed by artillery. Booby traps or improvised explosive devices in sufficient concentration also qualify.

[edit] NBC

The massive use of defoliants such as Agent Orange can be considered as an interdiction measure because, at their highest concentration use, they leave areas empty of any form of vegetation cover. In the desert-like terrain that ensues, it is impossible for an adversary to travel without being seen, and there is nothing much left for taking cover in case of an attack.

Other area denial methods include the fallout from nuclear weapons (which has never been used in this role, though it has been suggested for this use by Douglass MacArthur during the Korean War), as well as chemical agents that are by design non-degrading, such as the nerve agent VX.

[edit] Drawbacks

As area denial weapons do not discriminate between friend and foe (or civillians) they make the affected zone hazardous for all trying to enter. Concepts for area denial weapons which do discriminate (by active sensing) have often been proposed, but have not yet reached a stage of general usefulness, due to their high complexity (and cost) and the risk of misidentification.

Explosive-based area-denial weapons (mines) may be intentionally equipped with detonators which degrade over time, either exploding them or rendering them (relatively) harmless. Even in these cases, unexploded munitions often pose significant risk.

[edit] Historical Methods

In medieval warfare, sharp and sturdy stakes were buried at the bottom of long lines of ditches, pointed end up diagonally, in order to prevent cavalry charges in a given area. The correct layout of these extensive lines of ditches and the quality control of stake size, form and placement (they had to be big and sturdy enough to impale a very heavy horse) was part of the craft of war. Even if the stakes were spotted, soldiers would be forced to dismount and effectively give up their purpose as cavalry as well as becoming easy targets.

The anti-infantry punji stick, and the use of caltrops, against infantry or cavalry, is similar.