M1 Breacher

[VirusType2]

SISTANI, Afghanistan – In comes "The Joker."

That's the nickname given by the crew to one of the 72-ton, 40-foot (12-meter)-long Assault Breacher Vehicles. Fitted with a plow and nearly 7,000 pounds (3,175 kilograms) of explosives, the Breachers, as they are commonly known, are the Marines Corps' answer to the deadliest threat facing NATO troops in Afghanistan: thousands of land mines and roadside bombs, or improvised explosive devices, that litter the Afghan landscape.

The Breachers, metal monsters that look like a tank with a cannon, carry a 15-foot (4.5-meter) -wide plow supported by metallic skis that glide on the dirt, digging a safety lane through the numerous minefields laid by the Taliban.

If there are too many mines, the Breachers can fire rockets carrying high-grade C-4 explosive up to 150 yards (meters) forward, detonating the hidden bombs at a safe distance so that troops and vehicles can pass through safely.

The detonations — over 1,700 pounds (770 kilograms) of Mine Clearing Line Charges — send a sheet fire into the air and shock waves rippling through the desert in all directions.

Reporters watched the "Breacher" in action Wednesday as Marines edged closer to Marjah, a southern Taliban stronghold that NATO commanders plan to attack in the coming days in the largest joint NATO-Afghan operation of the Afghan war. Troops are expected to face a massive threat from mines and roadside bombs as they push into Marjah, 380 miles (610 kilometers) southwest of Kabul.

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I managed to 'dig up' a couple of videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV32yZYngeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXNJkR-dkpk

 

[Bob_Marley]

Armoured engineering vehicle with a mine clearing explosive rope on the top rather than in a trailer.

Yawn.

 

[VirusType2]

Not yawn when the path is littered with IEDs.

So, the forward charge begins into the most mine ridden area so far.

With this unit - essentially a farm vehicle on steroids - there will be a lot less NATO & Afghan forces dying. That doesn't have to be exciting.

 

[Shyam]

How will the Taliban respond with their primitive weapons ? They have never adapted to shifting enemy tactics before.

 

[Bob_Marley]

Not yawn when the path is littered with IEDs.

So, the forward charge begins into the most mine ridden area so far.

With this unit - essentially a farm vehicle on steroids - there will be a lot less NATO & Afghan forces dying. That doesn't have to be exciting.

Yes yawn.

This type of kit has been around for years, the fact its only being deployed to Afghanistan now is sadly indicative of how little value NATO high command places on its soldiers lives compared to its equipment.

This is a Sherman fittied with a Bullshorn Demining plow from WWII

The British Army at least has had a similar sympathetic demining system since the 1950s with Giant Viper (now replaced by Python)

Additionally, they're using a demining plow, which while effective at moving mines out of the path, leaves the whole lot still perfectly active on the side of the road, which means some poor bugger has got to go and disarm them afterward.

Finally, its a tracked viechle specifically for demining. If it misses any mines its likley to suffer a mobility kill and have to RTB to repair before continuing.

 

[Escaep]

Yes yawn.

This type of kit has been around for years, the fact its only being deployed to Afghanistan now is sadly indicative of how little value NATO high command places on its soldiers lives compared to its equipment.

This is a Sherman fittied with a Bullshorn Demining plow from WWII

The British Army at least has had a similar sympathetic demining system since the 1950s with Giant Viper (now replaced by Python)

Additionally, they're using a demining plow, which while effective at moving mines out of the path, leaves the whole lot still perfectly active on the side of the road, which means some poor bugger has got to go and disarm them afterward.

Finally, its a tracked viechle specifically for demining. If it misses any mines its likley to suffer a mobility kill and have to RTB to repair before continuing.

Did you miss the fact that it can fire 1700 lb strings of C4?

 

[Bob_Marley]

Sympathetic detonation system.

Such as Giant Viper or Python, as mentioned in my post.

The only difference here is that its directly integrated on the vehicle rather than towed.