Vieques, Puerto Rico U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists achieved a major milestone by successfully executing the first live-site demonstration of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) sonar system designed to detect and classify submerged UXO. The operational tests took place at a complex Navy munitions response site off the coast of Vieques.

Known as "Skyfish," the technology integrates a structural acoustic active sonar payload onto a winged AUV. While conventional high-frequency sonars primarily generate images of the seabed's surface, Skyfish utilizes lower-frequency sound waves capable of penetrating the sediment. By analyzing the returning acoustic echoes, the system can process volumetric data beneath the seafloor, allowing researchers to distinguish buried or partially obscured legacy ordnance from natural rocks, coral reefs, and man-made debris.

The Vieques remediation site provided a highly challenging, real-world environment compared to the benign controlled testing areas previously used by the NRL. Because the survey was executed as a blind test, the collected data is currently undergoing independent evaluation by the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). Conducted in coordination with the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), the successful deployment paves the way for another live-site demonstration next year. The ultimate goal is to transition the Skyfish technology from a research prototype into a fully deployable capability for future Navy underwater UXO remediation efforts.

Austin, Texas The Austin Police Department (APD) Bomb Squad responded to a residential area after a citizen discovered five suspected World War II-era grenades inside boxes purchased at a local estate sale.

According to APD officials, the buyer recognized the potential hazard and immediately contacted 911. Patrol officers established a safety perimeter around the property while awaiting specialized explosives personnel. Upon evaluation, the APD Bomb Squad confirmed that all five 80-year-old grenades were live and active. The ordnance was safely recovered from the scene and subsequently destroyed in a controlled environment.

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Dolomites, Italy Melting glaciers in Italy's Dolomites are revealing dangerous remnants of WWI, including 55 unexploded munitions recently uncovered in the mountains. The cache included 18 Italian 75mm artillery shells and 37 French-made Thevetot mortar shells, weapons left behind during the White War, the brutal alpine conflict fought between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces from 1915 to 1918.

The discoveries are being linked to accelerating glacier retreat driven by rising temperatures. The Dolomites have lost more than half of their glacier coverage since the 1980s, with only 12 glaciers remaining from 33 recorded in the late 1950s. Officials say the region's record-breaking summer heat in 2026 likely contributed to the exposure of long-frozen explosives and other wartime artifacts.

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Gettysburg, Pennsylvania More than 160 years after the Battle of Gettysburg, several buildings in the Pennsylvania town still bear visible scars from the fighting. One of the most striking examples is the Gettysburg Academy Bed and Breakfast, where an unexploded Civil War artillery shell remains lodged in the brick wall, exactly where it struck during the battle in 1863.

Historians believe the shell hit the building during the first day of the battle as Confederate forces shelled retreating Union troops. Similar battle damage can still be seen on eight other Gettysburg buildings, including structures where artillery shells remain embedded in the masonry.

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Sheerness, United Kingdom Engineers have successfully dismantled and removed all three masts from the sunken SS Richard Montgomery, significantly mitigating the risk of a catastrophic UXO detonation in the Thames Estuary. The WWII US cargo ship sank in 1944 while carrying approximately 3 million pounds of munitions, with its submerged holds containing an estimated 300 2,000-pound blockbuster bombs alongside more than 2,000 cluster bombs.

The complex structural removal was initiated out of concern that the degrading masts could collapse directly into the UXO payload. For decades, experts have warned that a sympathetic detonation of the wreck could produce a localized tsunami, launch debris up to two miles into the air, and level the nearby coastal community.

Completed ahead of schedule and under its $12 million USD budget, the preventive engineering project successfully relieved the structural load on the decaying hull without disturbing the munitions. The salvaged masts have since been relocated to the Historic Dockyard Chatham museum.

To ensure ongoing safety, the wreck is strictly protected by a long-standing maritime exclusion zone to prevent ships from entering the area.

Paw Paw Township, Michigan Family members cleaning out their grandfather's basement found a military munition dated 1945. The discovery led to a response by the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, the Paw Paw Fire Department and Van Buren Emergency Medical Services.

Deputies confirmed that the item was a grenade but were unsure if it was live or not. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Bomb Squad was called in to X-ray the grenade and safely remove the grenade for proper disposal.

The sheriff's office is reminding residents that old military ordnance and other potentially explosive devices can remain dangerous for decades, regardless of appearance.

Austin, Texas An estate sale purchase led to the discovery of several WWII-era grenades, prompting a response from the Austin Police Department. Upon examination, the Austin Police bomb disposal team determined that the decades-old grenades could still be explosive and safely removed them after securing the area.

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Pinrang, South Sulawesi Indonesia An antique collector using a metal detector in Malimpung Village discovered a 50-kilogram unexploded aircraft bomb, prompting an emergency response from local authorities. The UXO, believed to be a remnant of the Japanese occupation of Indonesia during WWII, was found buried approximately 50 centimeters underground.

Upon being notified of the discovery, the South Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade's Gegana bomb disposal unit deployed to the site. Under police security, bomb disposal personnel secured the area and successfully neutralized the hazard by conducting three separate controlled detonations.

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Bald Head Island, North Carolina Local authorities responded to the discovery of a suspected UXO near Beach Access 35 on Bald Head Island. Village Public Safety officials immediately established a protective cordon around the area, allowing EOD technicians to safely perform an on-site controlled detonation to eliminate the hazard.

The emergence of legacy munitions is a known occurrence on the island, stemming from its historical military footprint during both the American Revolution and the Civil War. Shifting sands caused by coastal storms, tidal changes, and routine dredging operations frequently expose these long-buried munitions along the shoreline.

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Paignton, United Kingdom Royal Navy EOD personnel were called to a local British Heart Foundation retail store after a piece of suspected military ordnance was accidentally handed in with a batch of civilian donations.

Specialist from the Royal Navy's Bravo Squadron EOD, based at HM Naval Base Devonport in Plymouth, responded to the scene and identified the object as a live British 3-inch HE mortar. After conducting an initial assessment and determining the item was safe to move, the EOD team carefully transported the munition away from the populated commercial area.

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