The United States army has bought 35 more ”Chubby” mine-hunting systems from Dorbyl RSD.
The system, already in use by the US army corps of engineers, detects mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using ground penetrating radar.
In 2003, a complete system sold for $1,5-million (R10-million), meaning the present deal is worth at least $52,5-million (R350-million).
The system comprises a mine-hunting vehicle, nicknamed a ”Meerkat”, a mine-detonating trailer with a mixed wheel base, sometimes called a ”sled” and a towing vehicle, called a ”Husky.”
The Meerkat is designed to sweep for mines and IEDs at a speed of up to 35km/h. It can also mark their location for clearance by military engineers. The vehicle has a v-shaped monocoque hull and can withstand the blast of most existing landmines. However, to minimise risk, particularly in the face of car-bomb sized IEDs, it can be operated by remote control.
Monocoque is a construction technique that uses the external skin of an object to support some or most of the load on the structure.
The four-wheeled vehicle has an unusually low ground pressure — it can comfortably drive over an unprotected human hand without the hand suffering any ill effects.
The wheels are also mounted at the extremities of the vehicle to minimise blast and shock damage to the crew and engine cabin in the event that it does trigger a mine.
The Husky follows a short way behind. While also fitted with a mine detector, it is primarily used to tow two weighted ”Duisendpoot” mine-exploding sets. The multi-axle trailers, with axles of varying length, are designed to have a set of tyres on every part of the road surface. Should neither the Meerkat nor the Husky’s detectors find the mine, the Duisendpoot should.
In South Africa, when the Meerkat detects a mine, a warning signal is transmitted to the Husky automatically, instructing it to halt.
The Meerkat then backs-up and using metal-detection pans, accurately pin-points the mine location and drops a marker. The system is so sensitive it can distinguish between a potential mine and a tin can.
The vehicles and trailers are designed to shed wheels in the case of a mine blast. Spares are carried in an accompanying truck and can be fitted within 30 minutes. At a few thousand rand a repair, this approach is cheap when compared with the bottom line: the price of a human life. – Sapa