Anti-tank mine

An anti-tank mine, (abbreviated to "AT mine"), is a type of land mine or magnetically attached explosive device designed to destroy or damage armoured fighting vehicles and they are one of the weapons and techniques used in anti-armour warfare. They are also effective against any vehicle not just armoured ones.

Anti-tank land mines have a less sensitive trigger (typically requiring a weight of 100 kg (220 lb)) and more explosive power than an anti-personnel mine. A smaller charge is needed to disable a vehicle by for instance destroying its suspension or tracks than to penetrate the armour.

History

First World War

The first anti-tank mines were improvised during the First World War as a counter measure against the first tanks (introduced by British). Initially they were nothing more than a buried High explosive shell or mortar bomb with its fuse upright. Later devices were simple wooden boxes packed with explosives and triggered either remotely or by a fuse.

Second World War

The German Tellermine was a purpose built anti-tank mine developed during the period between the First and Second World Wars, the first model being introduced in 1929. They were disc shaped devices approximately 30 cm across filled with about 5 kg of high explosive. Some variants were in the of a rectangular shape, but in all cases the outer casing served only as container for the explosives and fuse, without being utilized to a destructive effect (e.g. shrapnel).

Although other measures such as satchel charges, sticky bombs or bombs designed magnetically adhere to tanks were developed, they do not fall within the category of land mines as they are not buried and detonated remotely or by pressure. The Hawkins mine was a British anti-tank device that could be employed as a mine laid on the road surface for a tank to run over setting off a crush fuze or thrown at the tank in which case a timer fuze was used.

Design

More modern anti-tank mines are usually more advanced than simple containers full of explosives detonated by remote or the vehicles pressure. The biggest advances were made in the following areas:

Power of the explosives (explosives such as RDX).
Shaped charges to increase the armour piercing effect.
Advanced dispersal systems.
More advanced or specific detonation triggers.

Most modern mine bodies or casings are made of plastic material to avoid easy detection. They feature combinations of pressure or magnetically activated detonators to ensure that they are only triggered vehicles.

Dispersal systems

There are several systems for dispersing mines to quickly cover wide areas, as opposed to soldier laying each one individually. These system can take the form of cluster bombs or be artillery fired.

Cluster bomb

that each contain several mines (could also be a mixture of anti-personnel mines). When the cluster bomb reaches a preset altitude it would disperse the mines over a wide area.

Artillery fired

Some anti-tank mines are designed to be fired by artillery and arm themselves once the impact the target area. Once such example is the US M57 (mine). This systems provides commanders with a tactical counter measure against advancing columns of tanks or armoured vehicles.

Off-route mines

This is the term used to describe mines that are designed to be effective when detonated next to a vehicle instead of underneath the vehicle. They are useful in cases where the ground or surface is not suitable to bury a mine. They normally employ a shaped charge to focus the explosive effect in order to pierce armour.

One example of such a device is the US M24 that consists of a rocket launcher tube firing a HEAT rocket that is detonated by a pressure sensitive tape switch laid across the road.

The term "off-route mine" refers to purpose designed and manufactured anti-tank mines, but most "home made" improvised explosive devices (IED or roadside bomb) are employed in a similar manner.

External links

German mines of World War 2.
Mines laid in Bosnia during the 1990s civil war.
How Stuff Works
German anit-tank mines