Threat Mine Operations
This appendix is intended to complement the information presented in other manuals on threat obstacle tactics. Commanders should use this information to give added realism to unclassified staff and combined-arms team training. Obstacle employment norms can change with METT-TC factors for a given AO. Therefore, preoperational training on templating, intelligence, recon, and reduction procedures must be based on the best information available before deployment.
Mine Operations
B-1. Threat formations contain considerable organic minefield-emplacement capability. Threat rapid-mining capability presents a serious challenge to friendly maneuver.
B-2. Armored tracked mine layers known as GMZs ( Figure B-1 ) dispense mines at a predetermined spacing of 5.5 meters. Three GMZs can lay a 1,200-meter, three-row minefield, containing 624 mines, in 26 minutes. (This does not include the 12- to 15-minute reload and travel times; travel and reload times increase during limited visibility.) Doctrinally, this minefield would be broken into several minefields, each 200 to 300 meters long. Mine-laying helicopters also support threat mine operations. The HIP and HIND-D helicopters carry two or three dispenser pods of AP or AT mines. Artillery-fired SCATMINEs can also support threat mine operations.
|
|
B-3. Threat armies use obstacles extensively throughout the depth of their defense, and their tactics are chosen well. A threat rapidly emplaced minefield consists of three or four 200- to 300-meter rows, spaced 20 to 40 meters apart, with mines spaced 4 to 6 meters apart.
B-4. Table B-1 provides detailed information on standard threat AT and AP minefields. Terrain and tactical situations dictate the actual dimensions and distances of minefields.
B-5. Figure B-2 shows a standard rapidly emplaced minefield. The threat army typically uses such a minefield when they are in a hasty defense (offense is temporarily stalled).
|
B-6. Figure B-3 shows a standard antitrack minefield.
|
B-7. Figure B-4 shows a standard antihull minefield.
|
B-8. Figure B-5 shows a standard AP minefield.
|
B-9. Threat armies also emplace mixed minefields. They are not the same as US mixed minefields. Threat armies normally emplace three rows of AT mines, then several rows of AP mines. AT and AP mines are not normally mixed in the same row.
B-10. Threat engineers use two fundamental drills to emplace mines:
- When emplacing armed mines, the threat uses a crew of five sappers. The first crew member (the senior man and operator) is in the mine layer's seat and monitors the operation of the mine layer and the motion of the mines in the guide chute. He also sets the mine spacing and controls the actions of the GMZ. The second and third members take the mines out of the containers and place them in the intake chute at intervals between the guide tray's drive chain. The GMZ driver steers the vehicle along the indicated route at the established speed.
- When emplacing unarmed mines, the threat uses two or three additional sappers to arm the mines. After emplacing the mines, one sapper trails the mine layer, marks emplaced mines with pennants, and partially camouflages the mines. The remaining sapper(s) then arm the mines.
B-11. Special precautions are taken when emplacing AP minefields. Threat doctrine only allows PMN mines to be surface-laid from mine layers. POMZ-2M mines are emplaced with the truck-and-tray technique. Extra effort is required to assemble, emplace, and deploy the trip wire and to camouflage the POMZ-2M mine.
B-12. Threat forces may also have ground-emplaced SCATMINE capability. One such system is the UMZ SCATMINE system ( Figure B-6 ). The UMZ consists of six firing modules mounted on the back of a Zil-131 truck. Each module has 30 firing tubes, for a total of 180 firing tubes per system. Depending on the type of minefield desired, the UMZ can lay 180 to 11,520 mines without reloading. The UMZ can launch an AT or AP minefield 30 to 60 meters from the vehicle while the truck is driving 10 to 40 kilometers per hour (kph). It takes two men 1 to 2 hours to reload the UMZ. One UMZ can lay a three-row minefield, 150 to 1,500 meters long, depending on the type of mine that is used.
|
|
B-13. For hand-emplaced SCATMINEs, there is a man-portable SCATMINE dispenser. The PKM weighs 2.63 kilograms (without the mine canister) and consists of a single launch tube with a base mount, a blasting machine, and a reel of electric ignition wire. The operator loads a propelling charge and a mine canister into the launch tube and mounts the tube on the edge of a trench or firing parapet. He then aims the tube, connects the ignition wire to the tube, and moves to a safe distance. At an initiating point, the operator connects the ignition wire to the blasting machine and initiates the system. The PKM propels the canister 30 to 100 meters, depending on the type of mine. It lays an AP minefield that is 10 by 20 meters (POM-1S or PFM-1S mine canister) or 10 by 40 meters (POM-2S mine canister). It takes a trained operator 5 minutes to set up the PKM and create a minefield. The PKM can also be used to launch the PTM-1S and PTM-3 AT mine canisters.
B-14. Threat forces use the PKM to lay minefields that protect subunit positions and flanks and the boundaries between subunits. PKM-laid minefields also cover firing lines and gaps in combat formations. The PKM can quickly close breaches in existing minefields and increase the density of mines on armor AAs.
B-15. The type and complexity of an obstacle depend on the installing unit. Maneuver and artillery soldiers usually install simple single-system minefields that are protective in nature. Engineer soldiers install complex obstacles that can include AHDs. Engineer obstacle placement is usually equipment-intensive. Threat engineer effort generally concentrates on tactical obstacles unless maneuver soldiers are unable to employ the necessary protective obstacles. Threat units continue to improve obstacles, supporting their positions by marking the friendly side of the obstacles, burying mines, and adding AHDs.
Foreign-Mine Data
B-16. Tables B-2 through B-7 provide details on foreign AT and AP mines and mine delivery systems.