SubscribeMines have frequently been used indiscriminately in direct violation of international humanitarian law.
It is estimated that more than 110 million active mines are scattered in 68 countries with an equal number stockpiled around the world waiting to be planted. Land mines pose one of the most serious humanitarian challenges facing the world today. They hinder reconstruction and development; create obstacles on the return and reconciliation process, their indiscriminate use threatens not only individuals and families, but also the peace and fabric of entire communities and nations.
Croatia has become one of the victims to the informality of a modern warfare. Both sides of the former conflict made a liberal use of mines, therefore sometimes it is very difficult to understand the policy behind mine Lying. It is lately estimated by the Croatian Mine Action Center that after 7 years of Active de-mining operations there are approx. 1350 sq km still mine suspected with 700,000 mines and UXO being left in the Ground.
The struggle to remove landmines and UXO on goes, and improvements are continually sought on how to increase the safety and cost-effectiveness of clearance. One major Area of potential improvement is the use of Mechanical equipment to assist in mine Clearance activities.
Picture 1 – Mine contamination map of Croatia
“DOK-ING” solution in a field of mechanical mine clearance
General
Nowadays more and more machines are used in humanitarian de-mining. A serious development and production of small machines to assist in de-mining is highly required to operate in remote areas, crossed country, near river banks, in muddy and hilly terrain. Keeping in mind that majority of existed models belong to adapted construction or military vehicles, management of “DOK-ING” Company has clearly recognized the deficiency of small machines originally designed to clear various types of terrain containing anti-personnel mines and started its own production in 1996.
All produced by “DOK-ING” small mine clearance machines belong to flail machines that use a rotating drum or shaft with attached chains in order to penetrate the soil and break up mines or detonate them. Flails have been extensively used since the WWII; they most probably represent the biggest number of all mine-clearing machines currently deployed in mine-affected countries. Although there is a strong debate going on in the mine action community on the use of the flails, their costs, safety and clearance capabilities, “DOK-ING” Company management assumes the proper solution most acceptable for all parties involved in the process of humanitarian de-mining has been found.
MV-4 remote-controlled mini-flail
The DOK-ING MV-4 is a major serial product of the company. It is proven COTS (commercial off-the shelf) machine. MV-4 is a remote controlled, track propelled mechanical mine clearing machine designed for the destruction of all existing types of AP mines. It consists of a prime mover and clearing tool – rotating flail with the mounting 2 steel wheels, which proved to be more effective while MV-4, operates in muddy terrain conditions. Another option is a roller to take the place of the wheels. The flail unit is very easy to remove and replace in case of damage.
Picture 2 – MV-4 equipped with steel Wheels (Swedish Army MV-4)
Picture 3 – NPA MV-4 with a roller
Picture 4 – MV-4 activating PROM-1 Fragmentation bouncing mine
The operator easily operates the vehicle using a remote-control unit while being safely situated in an accompanying mine protected vehicle, shelter or some other location, where he is not exposed to injuries caused by activated mines.
The MV-4 was originally designed to perform one task only – mechanical mine clearance. It is not a modified construction machine or tank. In addition to machine building, DOK-ING is also the largest private de-mining firm in Croatia. The MV-4 is the 5th model in the MV series of de-mining machines. All of DOK-ING’s de-mining experience in Croatia following the recent war has been incorporated into the design of the MV-4. To date, over 12.5 million m² of terrain has been mechanically cleared by DOK-ING machines without a single mine accident/incident involving any of the Company’s personnel or civilian casualty.
Because of its dimensions and manoeuvrability, the MV-4 is suitable for operating within small/limited environments such as urban areas, house yards, fields, woods, wood paths and terrain that is inaccessible to larger machines. The machine has a low profile (height of only 1.4 m) and has an excellent ability to overcome obstacles and work on steep inclines. Due to the light pressure of its tracks on the ground (between 0.41-0.43 kg/cm² depending on terrain configuration), the MV-4 has also proved to operate well on wet and soaked terrain. It can be driven both forward and in reverse and is capable of turning 360º on a single point. In field operations, MV-4 has been proven to be a very effective and efficient clearance tool for destruction of AP mines completely fulfilling its purpose. MV-4 has excellent cross-country performance.
A good fact showing “DOK-ING” MV-4’s ability to do a proper ground penetration is the relative strength it has between the engine and the clearing tool. MV-4 has a 129 kW (173.82 HP) Perkins engine with a total clearing tool width of 1.98 m; the actual operational width of the clearing tool axle is 1.725 m. The power distribution ration between the clearing tool and the tracks is 80:20, i.e. 139.056 HP for the clearing tool and 34.764 HP for moving the carrier. Therefore, the relative strength between the engine and the clearing tool in our case is 139.056 HP:1.725 M = 80.61 HP/M, which is absolutely sufficient for a required ground penetration under normal conditions.
Apart from that, MV-4 has been rigorously tested and evaluated by the Croatian Mine Action Centre in May 2002 and by the Swedish EOD and De-mining Centre during August-November 2002. The latter test results showed that from 91 to 98% of all AP mines placed to a depth of 5, 10 and 15 cm have been destroyed/ neutralized in different types of soil including sand, gravel and top (earthy) soil. Both “Testing of MV-4 mine clearing machine” (CROMAC, May 2002) and “Report on testing by SWEDEC of the MV-4 Mini-Flail” (FMV/SWEDEC, November 2002) are available from “DOK-ING” upon request.
MV-4 is able to operate in harsh, rocky, semi-desert conditions with temperature ranging from 9 degrees to 45 degrees (Centigrade). MV-4 mini-flails have already been working in similar conditions both in Croatia and abroad (i.e. Iraq, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo). Furthermore, the Swedish EOD and De-mining Centre (SWEDEC) alongside with the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) have seriously tested and evaluated the cooling capacities of MV-4 during August 2003 by creating extremely hard conditions on purpose. The English copy of the “Testing of the cooling capacity of the MV-4 light vehicle for clearance of AP mines” is also available on request.
MV-4 machine is designed to assist manual de-miners and Mine Detection Dog teams by removing dense vegetation and potential threat of trip wires, providing a high level of safety and efficiency and making the entire process faster and cheaper. The combination of various methods (MV-4 mini flail, de-miners and MDDs) used by “DOK-ING” is well known as the toolbox concept. “DOK-ING” also uses MV-4 mini-flails together with redesigned and reinforced excavators (modified by the company) in areas where access to mini-flails is denied (too steep slopes, river banks, canals). It has been also used as a support tool to access and investigate areas of mine accidents/incidents. Military units can also operate with MV-4 mini-flails to prepare safety lanes for support of their foot patrols in order to ensure that area is free of mines. Our mechanical mine clearing machines could also be used in preparation of various military installations utilizing additional attachments available on request.
So far, 31 different mechanical mini flails of the MV-family have been produced with 20 of them having been sold to various de-mining companies/organizations and militaries including the US Army, the Swedish, the Irish and the Croatian Ministries of Defense, Croatian Mine Action Center, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), and Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD), “Mechem Consultants”, “Maavarim-Civil Engineering” Ltd. and a number of other companies.
Today’ s use of MV-4 mechanical mine clearing mini-flail is based on the principles of original design, sound technology of integral approach, extensive practical experience in mechanical mine clearance, study of user needs, safety of personnel, high mobility and flexibility, cost effectiveness and rationalism, efficiency, durability against mine blasts, provision of proper training, maintenance & repair simplicity and sustained after-sales service support.
MV-20 heavy mine clearing machine
Although heavy machines can achieve extremely good results on big open agricultural areas, they have different limitations. Large size, heavy weight, careful planning for transportation, big fuel and oil consumption, extra requirements for maintenance and repair, manoeuvring problem in tight places - all these reasons and others make them less efficient and cost-effective under certain conditions. It is still a big question why most of the worlds’ mine clearance machines producers didn’t change their strategy on design and production.
Despite all these reasons, “DOK-ING” has designed and manufactured its first heavy prototype - MV-20 double flail-tiller mine clearing machine. MV-20 is the latest model produced by DOK-ING during late 2003-beginning 2004. It is also a tracked mine-clearing vehicle originally designed for the destruction of all existed types of A/P and A/T mines. The machine is fitted with 663 kW (889.06 HP) strong Perkins turbo diesel engine having a significant armor protection with a weight of 38 metric tones. MV-20 clearing set comprises two tools: rotating flail as the first and tiller with teeth-knives as the second one. MV-20 is another remote-controlled unit from “DOKING” machines’ family ensuring the highest possible safety level to operators. This new machine should significantly reinforce the Company’s capabilities, but still needs to pass a serious test and evaluation program prior to be deployed in a field.
Picture 5 – MV-20 heavy double flail-tiller machine
EOD Robots
Following recent developments on the war on international terrorism “DOK-ING” Management has decided to expand the Company’s production beyond mine clearing machines staring serial manufacture of EOD Robots. The “DOK-ING” Grizzly-1 EOD Robot is the electrically powered remote-controlled robotic vehicle designed and constructed for the following tasks:
- Removal of explosive devices from public areas
- Removal and destruction of various unattended packages or baggage at airports, terminals, movie theatres and other similar locations
- Removal of chemical, poisonous, radioactive and other aggressive compounds
It is made of 3 mm thick quality steel plating powered by two independent drive electro motors with chain transmissions to three wheels on either side of the vehicle.
Picture 6 – Grizzly-1 EOD Robot
