Media: The United States will provide Ukraine with three types of remote mining systems
3 December, 2024 M139 Volcano mine system. Photo credits: Sgt. Gregory Stevens
The United States will send three different types of remote mining systems to Ukraine. The New York Times reported on this. This regards 155-mm artillery shells called Area Denial Artillery Munition (ADAM), MOPMS (MOdular Pack Mine System), and the Volcano mining system.
The day before, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a new £725 million military aid package for Ukraine that includes, among other things, anti-personnel mines. The Pentagon believes that providing anti-personnel mines to the Ukrainian Defense Forces is one of the most effective steps to slow down the Russian offensive.
The transfer of anti-personnel mines was addressed last month.
Remote mining systems
The M692 or M731 155mm artillery shells of the ADAM remote mining system contain long-range M67 and short-range M72 anti-personnel mines, respectively.
Each munition contains 36 of these mines. The only difference between the types of these mines is their self-destruct time - 48 or 4 hours.
Illustration of a 155mm ADAM shell with anti-personnel mines
A single ADAM shell scatters mines up to 600 meters from the point of aim. The M67 and M72 mines release seven wire "tripwires" when they hit the ground, which, when contracted, trigger an explosive charge that throws the mine fragmentation to a height of about 1.5 meters, after which it detonates.
The effective radius of destruction of manpower is 7 meters. If a mine does not detonate within a certain period of time, it still becomes inactive no later than 14 days later due to the discharge of the battery that powers its detonator. The M131 MOPMS (Modular Pack Mine System) is a portable system designed to lay mixed minefields.
It is made in the form of a module equipped with 17 M78 anti-tank mines and 4 M77 anti-personnel fragmentation mines, which are fitted with self-explosive devices.
M131 MOPMS mine system. Photo credits: bulletpicker.com
The module weighs approximately 75 kg and can be carried by two soldiers or available suitable vehicles. The M131 system modules can be activated by wire or radio.
M139 Volcano mine system.
Photo credits: Sgt.
Gregory Stevens
The Ukrainian Defense Forces are also to receive the American Volcano remote mining system.
The system uses pre-packaged containers with anti-personnel and anti-tank mines dispersed over a large area after being fired from the containers.
M139 Volcano mine system in a vehicle version on the Oshkosh M977A4 HEMTT truck platform
The Volcano mine system can be based on both ground-based vehicles, such as trucks and other equipment, as well as airborne vehicles, such as helicopters.