Mineclearing

[patrick666]

I signed up for 043 and am just going through processes now but had some questions..

Do they still use blades in mineclearing? If so, what is the purpose? Detection, removal?

What other forms of mineclearing are there and how do they work?

Cheers

 

[McG]

Do they still use blades in mineclearing?

Do you mean mine ploughs on tanks, or bayonets in somebody's hand?

I'm also not certain you want to know about clearing or breaching.

Breaching involves making a lane through a mined obstacle the fastest or most stealthy way possible.  Tactical clearing involves clearing an area or route of mines for military use in a wartime operation and is conducted when a certain level of risk is acceptable.  Humanitarian mine clearing also clears an area of mines, but it is 100% certain that all mines are gone.

 

[patrick666]

Yeah, I was talking about the bayonnets.. how does that work?

I would just like to know about the types of mine clearing in general and how they work, what they use, etc...

Cheers

 

[dw_1984]

Yeah, I was talking about the bayonnets.. how does that work?

When you don't have the mineprodder, you can use the bayonet (or even the C7 cleaning rod) to probe the ground for mines.  You poke into the ground at a 30 degree angle so that if you do hit a mine, it'll hit the side of it (and God willing won't go off).  Then you can identify/neutralize/disarm/BIP it.

 

[patrick666]

Crap.. that must be a bit stressful haha... I was reading through the forums and read that a lot of the handheld electronic mind detectors aren't very good, is that true?

 

[Kat Stevens]

yes, it's very hard to detect a mind in the engineers, especially in the Rupert Corps....sorry, irresistable opening.. ;D

CHIMO,  Kat

 

[patrick666]

Maybe I'll just throw rocks at the field and see what happens.... 

 

[Spr.Earl]

Cat's,spelt with a " C" not a "K" ,work best as they tend to freak out and bounce all over the place after being thrown.

 

[sapper332]

There are many methods available to the Combat Engineers to detect the presence of mines. From the hi-tech gadgetry of remotely operated vehicles down to the hand-held 'mine' detectors. Nothing, however, will ever replace the Sapper and his/her mine prodder.
  I would caution comments about throwing rocks at mined areas.... no Engineer would ever even joke about this. Let us not forget that mines are indiscriminate killers, not choosing their targets, but simply functioning as designed when the appropriate action is taken against them. From the mine strikes in Bosnia to the most recent incident in Afghanistan - mines and those who are skilled in the art of detecting and clearing them is a deadly serious business.

 

[patrick666]

True enough, E49.... I guess I will heed my words soon enough 

Can you, or anyone else, go into detail about the different methods?

What, in your opinion, is the least/most effective?

What is the most/least dangerous type of mine? (I think SprEarl posted a website for the mine database, no?)

I've seen that vehicle with the chains on it before, what is that called again? Would like to do some research...

Cheers...

 

[Spr.Earl]

Please excuse my flippant comment above (engineerr joke) Re throwing cats.

Patrick,it's called a "Flail"
The Flail is used for expedient assault when we give all like D.Day
The only trouble with Flail's is that they may blow up some the mines but to our detriment also shatter some and   thus throwing the the explosives and fuse's all over the F'n place.Ergo another head ache

As   E49G   stated the only way is by hand and it's slow and tedious work to say we have cleared all and the ground is safe.

But as others have stated when it comes to War we clear safe lanes so we can let our Army advance and leave the rest of the mine field to clear after the battle   has moved forward.
Then,if we can we will do the slow and methodical process of prodding and will clear all mine fields in our AOR.

Hope this helps as I have tried to put it in laymans terms.

 

[Cpl Corruption]

In Bosnia (Roto 6) we had the Aardvark Mine flail there,  we used it a little bit (no mine strikes though) aswell as the remotely operated mini flail.

Are either of those being used (or have been used) in Afganastan today?

 

[sapper332]

On Roto O in Kabul we had the mini flail as part of our resources. The beast was unreliable as it made up its' own mind as to where it would actually allow itself to be driven to! The poor operator would turn the thing left - and it the thing would go right! Made for some interesting dog-n-pony events when the wailing beast would decide to head right for the visiting dignitaries!!!

Needless to say - we kept it in the crate - battery out and chained to the fence!!

 

[Spr.Earl]

In Bosnia (Roto 6) we had the Aardvark Mine flail there,   we used it a little bit (no mine strikes though) aswell as the remotely operated mini flail.

Are either of those being used (or have been used) in Afganastan today?

We had the same machine on Roto 0,tested it once and the boy's spent a week cleaning the F'n thing.

 

[McGowan]

it's actually just one big huge party!

 

[Spr.Earl]

it's actually just one big huge party!

What's a big party? ???

 

[Riobeard]

I spoke with a Guy from Vancouver Island on the weekend who is raising dogs to do mine detection. 

http://www.dogspeak.ca/MineDogs.htm

Any sappers out there who have seen these dogs in action?  I'm curious to find out about their success rates and how much they are being used.

 

[armybuck041]

Mine dogs are being used extensively by OMAR, RONCO and other mine clearance firms with very good success. Unfortunately, we do not have the handling skills or time to make use of these dogs ourselves. Most of the dogs I have seen used within ISAF (including Cdn) are for explosive sniffing. I have heard nothing but good things about their performance. I'd love to elabourate but the OPSEC police would be all over me for divulging capability.     

 

[Spr.Earl]

Ah but a Sappers life is cheaper as DND sees using Dog's is inhumane!!
But it's not inhumane for the Sapper to do the Liberace.

We can a have a good asset as the dogs would live the life of Riley and be a good moral booster when the boy's see old Muttley with his/her nose to the ground.

I think now we must do it as we are getting so involved in to day's World Crises and our Combat Arms is so small we need an edge.

 

[eod/combatdiver]

I worked with a dog team from South Africa in Croatia 95.  German Shepperd's and some sort of bird dog I forget the type.  They seem to work well except for the the bird dogs running around with their noses only an inch off the ground.  One day we found our self's in a PROM field and I was not to confortable having that dog run around like an idiot.  I know the IED teams used them on Athena but that was just for IED's not mines.

mike