Mines - Types / Placement / Disarment

[Legbreaker]

Mine detection is a team effort and done properly is a slow and labourious process.
Now bearing in mind that it's over 15 years since I so much as looked at this, the process is as follows:

First a soldier armed with a light piece of wire moves alongside the uncleared lane, gently swinging it to detect tripwires. Any wires found are marked either for later removal or if it's too dangerous to go on (ie can't easily move past without triggering), immediately dealt with.
Naturally if this is the first lane cleared, they won't have anywhere safe to put their feet and so it's up to others to do a visual inspection and hope they see them. Alternatively, the swinger could stand over the probe man (see below).

Next comes the metal detector, again walking along the cleared lane and swinging their devices over the uncleared lane. Again, any mines detected are marked.

Then comes the probes. Using a nonferrous probe (ie NOT a bayonet unless absolutely unavoidable), the ground is probed at a fairly shallow angle. The aim is to strike the side of the mine, or if it does hit the top at such a shallow angle that not enough pressure is applied to set it off. Any mines found are marked and as with trip wires either removed / detonated safely immediately, or bypassed.

Immediately behind the probe is the tape. They lay the tape on the uncleared side of the lane, pinning it to the ground so it can't move by wind or accidently contacting it.

Of course if trying to breach a field by stealth at night, chances are only the last two will be available, although the detector could be used by a man standing over the probe.

Regardless of a stealthy breach or one done in daylight, the clearing section must be covered by fire ie a couple of machineguns, etc ready to provide covering fire should they come under attack.

A bare minimum of metal should be carried/worn by the breaching party to minimise the chance of detonating magnetic mines. Care must be taken at all times and movements should remain slow and deliberate.

Now as I said before, it's been a good 15+ years since I did any of this so I may have missed something.

Animals can be useful, but they're just one tool available to the assault pioneer/sapper/engineer/PBI.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Animals can be useful, but they're just one tool available to the assault pioneer/sapper/engineer/PBI.

I understand. The rats are only used during peacetime mine clearing operations, and not by military operators. And a big reason I think they are used is because they are cheap. IMO the best and safest way to clear mines in peacetime would be to use mine clearing vehicles with front mounted chain flails or with dragged sleds made from old tyres.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

First a soldier armed with a light piece of wire moves alongside the uncleared lane, gently swinging it to detect tripwires. Any wires found are marked either for later removal or if it's too dangerous to go on (ie can't easily move past without triggering), immediately dealt with.

Silly String works even better for this purpose. Detects tripwires and marks them in one go.