When the Past Resurfaces: How Alford’s Vulcan Shaped Charge Safely Neutralised a WWII Bomb at Changi Airport

In the early hours of 2 April 2026, at a construction site along Tanah Merah Coast Road, Singapore, EOD operators successfully neutralised a 250kg aerial bomb dating back to the Second World War.

The operation, led by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, was completed without injury, disruption to Changi Airport flight operations, or damage to surrounding infrastructure.

EOD operators successfully deployed Alford Technologies’ Vulcan shaped charge to neutralise the threat.

The Discovery

Construction workers at the Changi East construction site, where Singapore’s future Terminal 5 is being built, stumbled upon the UXO on 31 March 2026 at approximately 04:55 local time. The SAF EOD team was immediately dispatched to the scene to assess the situation, identifying the threat as a Second World War 250kg aerial bomb.

This assessment informed the operation. Instead of attempting transport to a remote disposal site, a contained on-site controlled disposal was planned for between 02:30 and 04:30 on 2 April. The Singapore Police Force collaborated with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Changi Airport Group (CAG), and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to execute the operation.

The team completed the task successfully. Post-blast checks confirmed that the blast caused no damage to surrounding infrastructure and did not impact airport operations.

The Role of Vulcan

When a device of this size and age cannot be moved safely, EOD operators need a reliable, precise method for controlled disposal. That is where the Vulcan shaped charge system delivered.

Vulcan is our user-filled, modular shaped charge system, designed for EOD and Conventional Munitions Disposal (CMD) operations. For this task, it was used in its deliberate detonation role, initiating the controlled disposal of the 250kg aerial bomb to confine the blast effect to the immediate target area.

Why Vulcan is the tool operators trust:

An EOD operator positioning Vulcan against UXO

• Modular and user-filled. Operators load Vulcan on-site with their preferred explosive fill (10-50g), giving precise control over the initiating charge relative to the target.
• Six interchangeable projectile types. Copper Jet Forming Cone (JFC), Copper Explosively Formed Projectile (EFP), magnesium JFC, magnesium EFP, aluminium EFP, and liquid projectile options allow the operator to select the explosive effect best matched to the munition type and casing thickness.
• Copper JFC performance. Capable of piercing approximately 75mm of mild steel, the copper cone can initiate detonation or deflagration of steel-cased munitions reliably and repeatably.
• Proven across a vast range of targets. Vulcan has been employed against munitions ranging from grenades and rockets to large aerial bombs. It is the only tool demonstrated to reliably low-order a BLU-109 deep-penetration bomb.
• Near-zero shock-to-detonation risk. Vulcan’s patented JFC is designed to virtually eliminate the risk of premature shock-to-detonation during placement, a critical safety feature when working with aged, potentially unstable ordnance.
• Land and subsurface capable. Vulcan is also routinely deployed successfully in maritime environments, reliably delivering low-order results against underwater UXO.

The system’s flexibility, combined with its exceptional operational record, makes it the tool of choice for SAF EOD and partner forces across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Operational Confidence at Scale

The Changi operation is a reminder that EOD work, at its best, is invisible. No disruption. No casualties. No damage. The aircraft continued to land and depart. The construction programme continues. The public, advised that loud sounds were possible, needed no further reassurance.

That outcome is the product of expertise, coordination, and the right equipment.

Alford Technologies designs tools for exactly these moments. The Vulcan shaped charge system is in service with military, government, and commercial EOD organisations worldwide. It is patented, field-proven, and built on more than four decades of operational learning.

Learn more about the Vulcan shaped charge system and Alford Technologies’ full range of EOD and CMD solutions . Or contact our EOD specialists for in-depth discovery.

Pictures originally published by Channel News Asia