Mine clearing equipment for Ukraine

Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) has signed a contract with Pearson Engineering for the delivery of mine-clearing equipment to equip engineer tanks for Ukraine with mine-clearing capabilities. On the German government’s list of military support services for Ukraine, 42 mine-clearing tanks are listed under “in preparation”. As far as is known, the contractor for this is FFG, with a contract between Ukraine and FFG, financed through the German government’s upgrading initiative.

According to Pearson, the mine-clearing equipment was developed as front-mounted equipment for combat vehicles in order to create the possibility of breaking through minefields with it. According to Pearson, the tines, which are arranged across the entire width of the vehicle, displace buried mines to create a passable path. The device is attached to the tank’s existing mechanical interfaces. Two skids run in front of the plough with the tines to scan the surface. Hydraulic controls are used to control the depth at which the plough is deployed.

The clearing forces and the protection of the crews require the use of an armoured tracked vehicle. Suitable for this purpose are, for example, tanks from the class Bergepanzer 2 and Wisent 1.

Pearson will deliver the minesweepers to FFG in the course of the year. After adaptation of the devices to the intended tanks, the mine clearance systems will be delivered to Ukraine. A precise timetable for this has not been published.

gwh