Isn’t the whole aspect of a AT mine that a shaped charge is formed that penetrates the target? Do they attach these to drones solely for their contained explosive?
The TM-62 is just 7.5 kg of explosives with a fuse in the middle, no fancy shaped charges. They’re designed to be driven over, since tanks are more vulnerable on the underside and damage to the tracks can immobilize them.
most of the time no, the point is to cut tracks and that can be done with regular box of explosives. there’s a couple of types that use efp, or are basically a trap with rpg, but it’s not it
You’re thinking of a directed mine like the German DM12 PARM 1, but e.g. the Soviet TM-72 has a shaped charge and lies flat on the ground. However, it seems the drone is equipped with a half of a TM-62 (Thanks @fist_of_fartitude@sh.itjust.works) which is explosive-only without a shaped charge.
Russia is at the point where it’s more economical and more effective to mobility kill a vehicle than destroy it. Getting rid of it takes more material on your side, and makes it easier and faster to replace because they can just buy another. Repairing a broken vehicle, you have to either tow it out or have it repaired on-site, with an operation that might take a couple of guys to do and MORE equipment that you can take out with the saved explosive from the other half of the mine.
It feels weird, but it’s classic attrition warfare.
Isn’t the whole aspect of a AT mine that a shaped charge is formed that penetrates the target? Do they attach these to drones solely for their contained explosive?
The TM-62 is just 7.5 kg of explosives with a fuse in the middle, no fancy shaped charges. They’re designed to be driven over, since tanks are more vulnerable on the underside and damage to the tracks can immobilize them.
Thank you. I had something like the TM-72 in mind, which has a shaped charge and thus needs much less explosive (2.5 kg).
most of the time no, the point is to cut tracks and that can be done with regular box of explosives. there’s a couple of types that use efp, or are basically a trap with rpg, but it’s not it
You’re thinking of a directed mine like the German DM12 PARM 1, but e.g. the Soviet TM-72 has a shaped charge and lies flat on the ground. However, it seems the drone is equipped with a half of a TM-62 (Thanks @fist_of_fartitude@sh.itjust.works) which is explosive-only without a shaped charge.
Russia is at the point where it’s more economical and more effective to mobility kill a vehicle than destroy it. Getting rid of it takes more material on your side, and makes it easier and faster to replace because they can just buy another. Repairing a broken vehicle, you have to either tow it out or have it repaired on-site, with an operation that might take a couple of guys to do and MORE equipment that you can take out with the saved explosive from the other half of the mine.
It feels weird, but it’s classic attrition warfare.
But you don’t need entire antitank mine to get complete disassembly of a truck