Earth Berms vs. Defencell™

Earth berms, which are essentially a mound of earth or sand, are a quick force protection solution that offers temporary protection against ballistics and ordinance. Dating back to medieval times, earth berms were a critical defensive structure prevalent in early warfare. Today earth berms are being replaced by granular filled geotextile walls and concrete barriers to protect military personnel and equipment. 

The primary advantage of earth berms is how quickly they can be constructed. Using a bulldozer or some other piece of earth moving equipment, troops can rapidly construct long, temporary earth berms. These berms can stop vehicles and certain ballistic threats but require a very large base and can easily be scaled by enemy troops.

Earth Berm Disadvantages

Earth berms are adequate for quickly concealing vehicles or creating defensive encampment, however, loosely packed dirt will not stop today’s threats. Earth berms can also deteriorate from high winds, especially when used near helicopter landing areas commonly found on forward operating bases (FOB). Preserving earth berms requires constant maintenance, which is often not available on most remote FOBs.

Defencell systems can be used as an alternative to earth berms, allowing rapid construction and significantly higher levels of protection. Defencell barriers also cut down on the amount of fill needed to complete a wall. Defencell Force Protection Systems feature compacted fill, providing continued protection against small arms and explosives without the risk of deterioration. Unlike earth berms, Defencell units can be built either manually or with earth-moving equipment.

Earth Berm vs. Defencell Chart

	Earth Berms	Defencell (DT1, DC2, DC3, DC4)
Container Weight	NA	15,600 lbs, 14,800 lbs, 15,000 lbs, 14,000 lbs
Pallet Weight	NA	780 lbs, 740 lbs, 750 lbs, 700 lbs
Setup Time	Varies by available equipment	About 20 minutes per unit
Assembly Requirements	Requires earth moving equipment	Can be built manually or with engineering equipment
Secondary Fragmentation	No inherent secondary fragmentation	No inherent secondary fragmentation
Crash Certification	NA	U.S. State Department K12/M50 Barrier
Delivery Options	NA	Sling load, air drop, truck or man portable
Foundational Requirements	Limited by soil type	Can be built on any surface
Ballistics Capability	Small arms	Small arms, cannon, mortar, artillery, VBIED, & fragmenting weapons
Manufacturing Origin	Constructed locally	Made in the US (Berry Amendment compliant)
Maximum Height	NA	Up to 15 ft
Material	Granular fill (soil, rocks, sand or gravel)	100% Polypropelyne Geotextile & Granular Fill
UV resistance	NA	2 Year Guarantee
Available widths	Unlimited	24 in, 43 in, 65 in and 87 in
Man portability	Not possible	DT1 = 9.5 lbs
Disposability	Easily disposable	Easily disposable