It is considered one of the most dangerous and heavily-mined countries in the world. For the specially trained soldiers tasked with finding and destroying bombs on Afghanistan's roads, there is no such thing as a typical day on the job.
HEROES OF HELL'S HIGHWAY, a new three part series airing consecutively beginning at 8 p.m. E/P, Saturday, Dec. 29 on Discovery Channel, follows two platoons who go into the heart of Taliban country to clear Improvised Explosive Devices, or IEDs, so the rest of the military can get through. The series celebrates the soldiers' efforts and the critical role they play in making the country safer.
IEDs are the insurgent's most effective weapon and the number one killer of troops and civilians. Using specialized Mad Max-style machines, the platoons can see underground and survive massive explosions. Their mission: to take the hit, so the other forces don't have to.
The episodes will air back-to-back on Saturday, Dec. 29:
· Episode 1: Welcome to Afghanistan, at 8 PM E/P: In Afghanistan, a decade-old war rages on. Here the Second Platoon of the 23rd Route Clearance Company is on a mission to blow up an enemy bomb, while the Third Platoon must use their massive, specialized vehicles to draw away enemy fire. But not everything goes as planned.
· Episode 2: After the Blast, at 9 PM E/P: Both platoons of the 23rd Route Clearance Company are on the same mission: clear the way for British troops to raid an insurgent compound. However, a critical mistake is made during the helicopter landing and the platoon must think fast to recover.
· Episode 3: Bomb at the Front Door, at 10 PM E/P: Insurgents place a roadside bomb at the front gate of the company's base. The situation goes from bad to worse when the platoon's vehicles get stuck in Afghanistan's notorious sandy desert -- making the entire convoy sitting ducks.
HEROES OF HELL'S HIGHWAY is produced for Discovery Channel by Big Fish Entertainment. For Discovery Channel, Executive Producer is French Horwitz and Associate Producer is Paige McKenzie. For Big Fish Entertainment, Executive Producers are Doug DePriest, Dan Cesareo and James Pat
Rick Costello II. To learn more, go to www.discovery.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/discovery and on Twitter @Discovery.
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 210 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.
