Finding a fix

The threat of improvised explosive devices — still a hot topic for troops in Iraq — took a prominent position in the military's latest war game, said retired Army Lt. Gen. Donald Holder, commander of the blue forces in Unified Quest's Middle Eastern scenario.

In the game, a 600-mile highway connected the capital of a fictitious country to the allies' supplies, but supply lines were continually harassed by insurgents firing weapons and planting roadside bombs.

To counter that, Holder's team, having access to futuristic technology, placed specialized sensors along the roadway to determine when someone approached the road and to examine any items they might carry or leave behind. That type of real-world situation, he said, could provide some of the more valuable insights expected from last week's game.