"Path" of safety: Russian UAVs began clearing minefields from the air

The Russian troops have mastered a new method of mine clearance using UAVs. Drones deliver special "Trail" cord charges to the mined areas, the detonation of which allows you to make passages in the barriers. This technology makes it possible for sappers to quickly and safely clear the territory of explosive objects before attacks, as well as ensure the safe delivery of goods to the front line, experts say.

Mine clearance by drones

Heavy transport copters "Vogan-15" are used for mine clearance. They are capable of carrying up to 10 kg of cargo, which allows them to deliver ZRP-2 "Tropa" charges and accurately drop them in the right place. These munitions are designed to create passages in minefields. Their detonation makes it possible to lay a safe corridor up to four meters wide and up to 15 meters long, sources familiar with the situation told Izvestia.

Such passages are necessary to quickly clear the area during attacks. Sapper drones are also indispensable for clearing mines for the supply of ammunition, medicines and food to units operating on the front line.

At the same time, the Vogans, originally designed as drone trucks to supply the front line, are used not only for mine clearance. If necessary, they can be used to remotely install antipersonnel mines on enemy withdrawal routes. This makes it possible to cut off his advance groups from the rear, making it difficult to supply and rotate, the interlocutors also noted.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Pavel Lisitsyn

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to make it as difficult as possible for our units to move. Minefields are being placed not only in places of possible attacks by our troops, but also on roads and trails along which supplies and reinforcements are being brought up.

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In difficult areas, soldiers cannot use mine detectors.

Tactical drones are actively used to mine the area in the rear. The Armed Forces of Ukraine will use a wide range of drones for this, from small FPV devices to powerful Baba Yaga-type drones. Our troops respond to the enemy in kind.

"In such a situation, the area turns into a continuous minefield, which, among other things, is polluted with unexploded or abandoned ammunition," military expert Boris Jerelievsky told Izvestia. — Now almost any action, whether it is an attack or the supply of advanced formations, begins with clearing the area of explosive objects. Moreover, the enemy has long been using not only "petals" for these purposes, but also more sophisticated ammunition: tricky mines with magnetic, seismic and even audio sensors. The latter react to the sound and explode.

The work of sappers in such a minefield is extremely dangerous. We could see how insidious such barriers are using the example of the operation to clear the roads leading to Alyoshki in the Kherson region during the truce, the expert noted.

Photo: TASS/Alexey Konovalov

Drones and cluster munitions make it possible to set up minefields directly in front of the attackers — in this case, only UAVs with special charges can clear the way, Boris Jerelievsky noted.

"Sapper drones will help you almost instantly make a passage through a minefield and immediately carry out an unexpected attack for the enemy," the expert explained.

Another advantage of such devices is the ability to monitor the terrain. After completing the engineering work, they can assist the infantry by acting as aerial observers and scouts.

The famous UR-77 Meteorite mine-clearing installations (better known as the Serpent Gorynych) and ground-based robotic systems are difficult to use in many situations, Colonel Alexander Perendzhiev, associate professor at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, recalled.

— Battles can take place on highly rugged terrain or in destroyed urban areas, where they will not take place, and the terrain is not an obstacle for UAVs. In addition, they can reach the desired point much faster than a ground-based system. This will allow our troops to act more flexibly, to carry out unexpected and safe maneuvers on the battlefield," the expert said.

Photo: RIA Novosti

The cost of a Gorynych or a ground-based drone is higher than a copter-type drone, and its loss will be more sensitive for our army, he noted.

Drones equipped with magnetometers and other special equipment can remotely find minefields, which will be in demand when reconnoitering the area.

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It reacts instantly to the presence of machinery and people with weapons and has a self-destruct function

In the future, such tactics should be taught in military schools. Such knowledge is necessary for future officers who will conduct land operations, Alexander Perendzhiev summed up.

Robotic mine clearance systems

The engineering business is now being actively improved. For example, ground-based robotic complexes (NRTC) are actively used in mine clearance in the area of the SVO. Izvestia reported that they had begun clearing a path in front of the assault groups. To do this, the NRTC is equipped with roller or electromagnetic trawls, which are used to make passages in minefields.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Bobylev

In the first case, the mines are defused mechanically — the rollers press on the ground, causing the detonation of ammunition. In the second case, the device creates an electromagnetic field that initiates the detonation of mines with magnetic fuses at a distance of several meters in front of it. This is how it is possible to neutralize ammunition lying on the surface or at shallow depths.

NRTKS with trawls and dumps have proven themselves well in combat conditions. And, probably, in the coming years, the role of ground-based robotics in engineering tasks will only grow.