US Army troops in Syria use handheld mine detectors to sweep an area that will be occupied as a temporary patrol base. Just as the video ends, the soldier detects some sort of metallic object in the ground, leaving us on the edge of our seats and wondering what was beneath.

Interestingly, the soldiers appear to be using the CEIA Compact Metal Detector (CMD) rather than the standard issue L3Harris AN/PSS-14 mine detector, which had been fielded by the military since 2006. The CMD, as the name entails, looks much handier and lighter.

Currently, the Army is developing a new hand portable mine detector that will not just use audible beeps to indicate possible buried explosives, but will actually send visual feedback to a screen or HUD detailing the size, shape, and other clues to the devices construction and threat level. That info will also be recorded in a digital map, making the need to physically mark each device unnecessary.