Dedicated to the humanitarian removal of landmines in war-torn countries
Overview
A landmine is a dangerous explosive device that is placed in or above the ground and can be activated by person, animal or vehicle. Mines are used to secure disputed borders or to restrict enemy movement during times of war. Unfortunately, once a conflict has ended, mines and other debris of war are left behind posing a threat to the civilian population.
Landmine Types
Anti-Personnel (AP) mines are designed to kill, wound or obstruct one or more individuals. There are two categories of AP mines based on the type of injuries they inflict: blast mines and fragmentation mines. Of the more than 700 types of known AP mines, blast mines are among the most common. Blast mines are typically buried in the ground and are pressure-activated (by foot for example). Fragmentation mines contain shrapnel in addition to explosives and may be initiated by direct pressure, trip wire or remote detonation. Stake mines, bounding mines ("Bouncing Betty") and directional mines (such as the well-known "Claymore") represent the three classes of fragmentation mines.
Anti-Tank (AT) mines are designed to be detonated by 350 to750 pounds of pressure and contain enough explosive to destroy a tank or vehicle, as well as the people in or around the vehicle. They are commonly laid in transportation routes hindering free movement of refugees.
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) consists of explosive weapons (bombs, rockets, mortars, missiles, shells, grenades, ammunition, etc.) that did not explode when they were employed. UXO litters many war-torn countries and even though many of these items may be decades old, they are often unstable and can detonate with grave results.
Landmine Models (click to view)
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Landmines
