All you need to know about landmines?

Hello aspirant,

In this post we will see different types of landmines and how do they destroy on such a massive level. This post is interesting so, let's begin

What are mines?

• Landmines are containers of explosive material with detonating systems that are triggered by pressure of a person or a vehicle.
• They are designed to undermine that person or vehicle through damage caused by an explosive blast, fragments.
• They are generally buried within 15 cm of the earth's surface or laid above ground.

Types of Landmines?

• There are mainly two types of landmines namely antipersonnel (AP) landmines and antitank (AT) mines.
• An antipersonnel land mine is an explosive device made to injure or kill a person. There are three general types of antipersonnel landmines:
• Explosive blast effect AP Land Mines- These are the most commonly found antipersonnel landmines, designed to rip off the lower half of the leg and project shoe, dirt and bone higher up into the leg, causing secondary infection and more upper amputation.
• FRAGMENTATION AP Land Mines- Most of these mines have metal casings designed to rupture into fragments upon the detonation of the tunnel, or are stuffed with ball bearings, flechettes (tiny metal darts), or metal fragments that are turned into lethal projectiles by the detonation of the mine.
• BOUNDING AP Mines- the most deadly of all AP landmines are the bounding fragmentation land mines, or "bouncing betties." These mines are generally triggered by as little as 1.5kg of pressure on trip wires and direct influence. Upon detonation, the explosion shoots out metal fragments in a 360-degree horizontal arc. These fragments can kill up to 35 meters or more from the land mine, and severe injuries at more than 100 meters.
• ANTITANK (AT) Land Mines
• Antitank mines are designed to destroy or incapacitate tanks and other vehicles. They are much larger mines than AP mines and have a far more massive explosive charge — up to 14 kg.
• The effect of antitank mine blasts on vehicles that lack armour (light-skinned cars) such as pickup trucks, utility vehicles, passenger cars, and jeeps is usually catastrophic.
   

What're inside mines?

• This particular type of mine only contains about 31 grams of Tetryl (an explosive). The M14 has a U-shaped safety clip fitted around the pressure-triggered plate.
• The clip has two settings: A for Armed and S for Safety. The operator has to rotate the clip to the A position to activate the mine.
• Once it is armed, any pressure equivalent to 9 kg can set it off. As soon as the required pressure is applied, the Belleville spring is pushed down.
• This spring pushes the firing pin down onto the detonator, which ignites the main charge of Tetryl explosive.

Where are landmines used?

• Defending Military Positions: Warring groups use landmines to provide additional protection for their forces and positions.
• Channelling Movement: Landmines are often used to prevent people and vehicles from moving through certain areas, and to direct them on to specific routes from which they can not deviate.
• Defending Socioeconomic Targets: The most common use of mines in civil conflicts is to protect economic and social targets such as bridges, dams, oil, gas and water pipelines and railroad stations from attack or sabotage by the enemy.

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JAI HIND