Jane's Mines and Mine Clearance

Whether you require background information or detailed technical data, Jane's Mines and Mine Clearance is the essential reference for all mine-related issues. The comprehensive and in-depth coverage includes details and analysis of mines, booby traps and fuzes found all over the world. Each of the detailed mine entries includes a full description, complete with specifications and operational characteristics; a guide on neutralisation and disarming procedures is also included. Colour photographs and sectioned diagrams assist recognition, show internal components and help to explain the operating method. Also within Jane's Mines and Mine Clearance is a full directory of commercially available products and services associated with the demining industry, to assist your research or procurement. Full company contact details are also provided.

The depth and breadth of information covers:

• Characteristics of mines and booby traps and generic types of mine and booby trap
• Full details of mines and booby traps currently deployed, whether in widespread or limited use
• Equipment associated with the demining industry, including minelaying, mine detection, mineclearing, minefield marking and personal protection equipment
• Training, operational demining and consultancy services
• Types of mines in threatened countries and the associated threat level Please also see our sister product, Jane's Explosive Ordnance Disposal, at jeod.janes.com for comprehensive details of all aspects of EOD.

Different sections provide in-depth detail covering:

• Analysis
• Associated Equipment And Services - Minefield Marking Equipment
• Associated Equipment And Services - Miscellaneous Equipment
• Associated Equipment And Services - Organisations
• Associated Equipment And Services - Personal Equipment
• Associated Equipment And Services - Training, Operational Demining And Consultancy Services
• Background Information
• Background Information - Clearance Procedures
• Background Information - Generic Types Of Mine And Booby Trap
• Background Information - Mine Countermeasures
• Background Information - The Characteristics Of Mines And Booby Traps
• Background Information - The Origins Of Land Mines
• Background Information - The Structure Of A Demining Organisation
• Contact Details
• Contractors
• Data Summary
• Data Summary - Mine Technical Data
• Glossary
• Mine-Related Equipment And Services
• Mine-Related Equipment And Services - Mine Detection Equipment
• Mine-Related Equipment And Services - Mineclearing Equipment
• Mine-Related Equipment And Services - Minelaying Equipment
• Mines And Booby Traps Currently Deployed
• Mines Less Widely Used

Sections

• Analysis
• Associated equipment and services - minefield marking equipment
• Associated equipment and services - miscellaneous equipment
• Associated equipment and services - organisations
• Associated equipment and services - personal equipment
• Associated equipment and services - training, operational demining and consultancy services
• Background information
• Background information - clearance procedures
• Background information - generic types of mine and booby trap
• Background information - mine countermeasures
• Background information - the characteristics of mines and booby traps
• Background information - the origins of land mines
• Background information - the structure of a demining organisation
• Contractors
• Data summary
• Data summary - mine technical data
• Glossary
• Mine-related equipment and services - mine detection equipment
• Mine-related equipment and services - mineclearing equipment
• Mine-related equipment and services - minelaying equipment
• Mines and booby traps currently deployed
• Mines less widely used

Content Structure

Commonly Used Terms:
Ammunition Ammunition is anything that contains an active ingredient such as explosives, or a chemical, smoke, pyrotechnical or an incendiary composition., Anti-disturbance A fuze or booby trap designed to operate when moved., Anti-handling Another term for anti-disturbance (see above)., Anti-handling device A device fitted to, added on, placed under, attached to or near that acts as part of a mine or munitions mechanism, which can be electrically or mechanically operated when the mine or munition is disturbed., Anti-magnetic A term sometimes used to describe an object with a minimal magnetic signature, meaning that it is difficult or impossible to detect using a magnetometer. Anti-magnetic does not mean the same as magnetic influence (see separate description)., Anti-personnel mine The NATO definition is 'an explosive or material, normally encased, designed to wound, kill or otherwise incapacitate personnel. It may be detonated by the action of its victim, by the passage of time or by controlled means'. The Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons definition is 'a mine primarily designed to be exploded by the presence, proximity or contact of a person and that will incapacitate, injure or kill a person'., Anti-tank mine A mine which is designed to disable or destroy vehicles and tanks. The explosive can be activated by many types of fuze mechanism, normally by pressure, tilt rod, influence or command (command-detonated)., Anti-vehicle mine A mine designed to disable light vehicles, but unlikely to inflict significant damage on heavy armour; the US M7A2 is an example. Increasingly, this term is being used for any mine designed to be initiated by a vehicle, regardless of the vehicle type or the mine category., Area reduction The act of narrowing down the suspect area, often by proving the surrounding area to be clear to a reasonable level of confidence. Usually undertaken as part of a Level Two survey (see survey)., Armed period The period in which a mine or munition is electronically and/or mechanically armed and active., Arming The process required to ready the mine for initiation. This usually includes completing the explosive train and removing all mechanical safety devices., Assembly A component containing several constituent parts., Ballistic protection Protection from projectiles, often referred to for protection against sniper or small arms ammunition; in demining terms, it is used for protection against fragmentation and blast. See body armour., Barrier minefield A minefield which aims to block a direction., Base line The line which is used to initiate all demining operations and is the point from which all clearance lanes start. Also known as the start line., Battle area clearance The old term used for the clearance of all mines and UXO from an area of land, now known as explosive ordnance clearance (EOC)., Belleville spring A metal or plastic disc-shaped diaphragm, with a metal striker on the concave side, which inverts when pressure has been exerted to one side. This causes the metal striker to come into contact with a detonator, causing an explosion., Benchmark A fixed point of reference outside the minefield. This point has known co-ordinates that have been ascertained by survey, resection or use of DGPS. Also known as a 'Reference point' or 'Datum'., Black powder A type of gunpowder, often used in clearing charges for shaped charge mines and as a propellant in bounding mines., Black widow A name given to the Russian PMN mine, so called because of its effectiveness and the colour of the pressure plate., Blasting cap US term for a detonator., Blast resistant A mine or fuze incorporating a mechanism designed to survive explosive countermeasures and the detonation of nearby mines., Blind Any ammunition that has been thrown, projected at or placed upon a target and which fails to function completely at the point of delivery or placement., Blow in situ The destruction of any item of ordnance by explosives without moving the item from where it was found, normally by placing an explosive charge alongside. Sometimes referred to as blow in place (BIP)., Body armour Equipment designed to protect the deminer or EOD technician from the effects of blast and fragmentation, more often known in demining as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)., Bomb disposal The act of disposing of UXO and IED. (NATO definition), Booby trap Any device or material which is designed, constructed or adapted to kill or injure and which functions unexpectedly when a person or object (vehicle) disturbs or approaches an apparently harmless object or performs an apparently safe act., Booster A small charge of sensitive secondary high explosive, such as Tetryl, placed next to the detonator in order to propagate the detonation into the main charge., Bounding mine An anti-personnel mine which is activated either by a trip wire or by pressure. The activation of the fuze causes a primary charge to be initiated which ejects the mine to a predetermined height before the main fragmentation charge is initiated., Box mine A mine normally manufactured from plastic or timber, containing the explosive charge and the activating mechanism. Used mainly for AP mines but has also been used for some AT mine models., Breaching A term generally referring to the military practice of creating a safe lane through a minefield, rather than clearing an entire area. Military breaching, especially when in contact with the enemy, often tolerates a risk level that would be unacceptable in a demining operation., Breakwire A thin electrical conductor, normally insulated, which passes sufficient current to keep a collapsing circuit open. When the wire is broken the circuit collapses, closing a relay or electronic equivalent, to initiate a fuze., Casevac or CASEVAC (casualty evacuation) The process of moving a casualty from the site of the accident to medical facilities., Claymore mine A directional AP mine, the claymore consists of a curved outer case containing a huge number of fragments. Behind the fragments is a layer of explosive. The mine can be initiated by either pull or command detonation., Clear lane A lane that has been cleared of all mines and UXO., Clearance Clearing an area of all mines, UXO and IED to a predefined standard., Clearance site The site where demining activities (the removal of mines and/or UXO) are being conducted., Clearance standards The standards that are to be applied to clearance operations, normally specified in the contract document or clearance plan. In the UN it is normally achieved to a clearance standard of 100 per cent with a tolerance error of not more than 0.4 per cent., Cluster A collection or group of anti-tank or anti-personnel mines. Clusters were the building blocks of minefields under the old British minelaying system; they can consist of one or several mines of one or various types., Cluster munition A number of submunitions in one container that is aerially delivered., Countermine The activities, equipment or process, used to counter mines., Crimp The act of fixing (crimping) the open end of a non-electric detonator to a length of safety fuse., Crimper The tool used to crimp., Datum point A point on the perimeter of a minefield that has been surveyed in from the benchmark. It has known co-ordinates, and it can also be the start point of the first lane. Turning points and intermediate points are also datum points, as they have known co-ordinates., Deflagration An explosion caused by extremely rapid combustion, but without detonation taking place., Demining The term used for humanitarian mine clearance. It implies clearance of complete minefields to a very high level of confidence., Demolition pit A hole in which mines and UXO are placed for destruction., Density The number of mines in the minefield divided by the minefield length. This is normally referred to as mines per metre of minefield frontage., Destruction in situ Destruction of the mine or UXO, normally by explosives, without moving the item. See also 'blow in situ'., Detectability In this context, the relative ease with which a given mine can be detected by a modern, high-quality metal detector. Often directly proportional to the metallic Content of the mine, though other factors such as metal type and shape are also significant., Detonation The powerful explosive effect caused by the propagation of a high-speed shockwave through a high-explosive compound or mixture. During the process of detonation, the high explosive is largely decomposed into hot, rapidly expanding gas., Detonation wave A shockwave which passes through high explosive as a uniform front, from the point of ignition, breaking the chemical bindings at molecular level (<3,000 m/s)., Detonator A sensitive explosive item that can be initiated by either electrical or non-electrical means. The first item in the explosive chain, used to initiate the main or booster charge. (NATO definition), Detonator assembly A section of a mine, often removable, usually comprising the detonator and an initiating composition or cap in a suitable housing., Differential GPS A GPS which can provide readings to an accuracy of 5 cm., Disarming The physical separating of components in the explosive train in order to render the mine incapable of functioning. See also neutralisation., Disposal work EOD work., Double impulse mine A mine, normally an anti-tank, that is fitted with a double impulse fuze which requires two separate pressures on the fuze in order to initiate the detonation chain., Drill An unambiguous procedure, or series of procedures, taught to operators for use in the field. Drills ensure that safe, consistent practices are used throughout an organisation., Electrical initiation Initiation of an electrical detonator., Exploder A device used to produce an electrical current safely through electrical cable in order to initiate electric detonators or safety fuse igniters. Also known as a blasting machine or firing device., Exploratory breach A method of breaching the suspect mined area in order to identify the actual location of the mine strips or rows and obtain mines information., Explosive A substance or mixture of substances which, under external influences, is capable of rapidly releasing energy in the form of gases and heat. (NATO definition), Explosive detector dogs (or explosive sensing dogs) Dogs that are specially trained to detect the vapours emitted by explosives contained in IEDs, mines and munitions. Some dogs can also be trained to detect tripwires and non-explosive booby traps. The dogs are normally referred to as explosive or mine detection dogs., Explosive ordnance Munitions that contain explosives, nuclear fission or fusion material, biological agents or chemical agents. This includes bombs and warheads, guided and ballistic missiles, artillery, mortar, small arms ammunition, mines, torpedoes, depth charges, demolition stores, pyrotechnics, cluster munitions and dispensers, cartridges and propelled actuated devices, electric explosive devices and similar items that are explosive in nature., Explosive ordnance clearance (EOC) The term used for the clearance of all mines and UXO from an area of land, formerly known as battle area clearance (BAC)., Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) The detection, identification, field evaluation, render-safe, recovery and disposal of unexploded ordnance (UXO)., Explosively formed projectile/penetrator (EFP) The fragment formed by a Misznay Schardin plate when subjected to detonation. See Misznay Schardin. Now used as a generic term for improvised and locally manufactured shaped charges used by terrorists., Extraction drill The immediate action undertaken in response to an uncontrolled detonation which has caused injury to personnel. It involves team members in the recovery of injured personnel and the provision of first aid. Also known as 'man-down drill'., Flail An arrangement of flexible arms (normally made from steel chain) mounted on a rapidly rotating shaft, that can be driven across a piece of ground to clear vegetation and/or mines., Flare A high-temperature pyrotechnic torch that can be used for the disposal of certain types of mine., Firing device A device such as an exploder, used to produce an electrical current in order to initiate an electrical detonator. See exploder., Fragmentation zone The area that fragmentation will cover from the point of detonation. There are several factors which need to be reviewed when determining this zone; the amount of explosive, body construction, type of material, ground conditions and so on. See also secondary fragmentation., Free from explosive (FFE) The state of a particular manufactured munition which has had all the explosive removed. All mines or munitions being used for training and demonstrative aids should have the explosives removed and be marked 'FFE'., Fuel-air explosive (FAE) A technique in which a fuel (which may be gaseous, finely divided solid or atomised liquid) is dispersed in air and initiated to cause an explosion. FAE generally has a substantially greater effect than the equivalent weight of conventional explosive, mainly because the oxygen needed for combustion is drawn from the atmosphere and not carried within the explosive. The relatively long duration of the FAE pressure pulse has led to its use in mine clearance charges., Full-width attack mine (FWAM) An AT mine designed to be initiated when a vehicle passes over it, whether or not it is subjected to direct pressure. Older types of FWAM tend to use tilt-rods, while modern ones generally have magnetic-influence fuzes., Full-width clearance Clearance of a lane to the total vehicle width. This normally includes a small margin at each side. Associated with mechanical mine clearance equipment such as flails, rollers in tandem, sifters and full-width ploughs., Fuse A slow-burning pyrotechnic, normally used to delay the initiation of a detonator., Fuze A designed and manufactured mechanism to activate a mine or munition. It can be designed for use by electrical, chemical or mechanical systems; by push, pull, pressure-release and time activation, singly or in combination. Usually consists of an igniter and detonator., Fuze well A recess or cavity in the mine body, often threaded, that accepts all or part of the fuze., General mine action assessment (GMAA) A component of the survey process. See Survey., Gunpowder An explosive, normally used as a propellant, that must be confined in order to create a low-order explosion. It decomposes through a combustion reaction at a very fast rate. This reaction takes place on the surface of the composition and burns layer by layer., Hand clearance The act of clearing hazardous areas manually. Normally refers to clearance teams using mine detectors and probes., HEAT (high explosive anti-tank) A warhead which uses the Munroe effect (see separate reference) to defeat armour., High explosive (HE) A compound or mixture which, when initiated, is capable of sustaining a detonation shockwave to produce a powerful blast effect., Hollow charge See shaped charge., Horizontal-action mine An anti-tank/vehicle mine placed at the side of the track or road which will normally be activated by a vehicle. The horizontal action mine will propel a shaped charge warhead into the side of the vehicle or tank. See also 'off-route mine'., Humanitarian mine clearance The removal of mines and UXO under the auspices of a humanitarian organisation in order to allow the land to be returned to the local community., Improvised explosive device (IED) An improvised explosive device is normally of local manufacture and is often associated with booby traps. It has all the elements of a mass manufactured mine or booby trap., Inert A mine or munition without explosives, made from the actual parts of the real explosive item. It is identical to the actual live object but has no explosive Content. Used for training and should be marked 'inert'. (NATO definition) See also FFE., Influence fuze mine A mine with a fuze which has been designed to be activated by the actual magnetic or other influences such as IR, radar, seismic or combinations thereof., Intermediate lane A lane forward of the start or base line where all cleared lanes finish and successive lanes commence. Intermediate lanes are numbered successively forward of the start line., Intermediate marker A marker used between the start and finish markers or between turning points on the perimeter of a minefield to indicate an intermediate point. There can be several such markers., Irregular outer edge Short mine strips laid in an irregular manner or pattern in front of minefields, facing the enemy, to deceive them as to the shape and density of the main minefield. It can consist of both AT and AP mines., Landmark A permanent feature or object that has known co-ordinates and is easy to identify on the ground. Used in conjunction with a benchmark to locate the start point of a minefield perimeter. Also called a reference point., Landmine Impact Survey (LIS) The term formerly used for 'General mine action assessment' (GMAA). See Survey., Level 1 Survey The term formerly used for 'General mine action assessment' (GMAA). See Survey., Locator Generally used as another name for a metal detector., Low explosive A composition (such as gunpowder) which explodes through rapid burning, but does not detonate., Low-order technique A specific EOD technique which uses a small explosive charge to disrupt a UXO without initiating the main charge. Magnetic influence A fuzing principle in which the device is initiated by the change in magnetic field caused by the magnetic signature of its target., Main charge The main and normally the largest explosive charge of a mine or munition. Normally initiated by either the detonator or a booster charge., Mine An explosive or other material, normally encased, designed to destroy or damage vehicles, boats or aircraft, or designed to wound, kill or otherwise incapacitate personnel. It may be detonated by the action of its target, by the passage of time or by controlled means. (NATO definition), Mine action All aspects of a national programme to address the mine problem in a country or region., Mine action centre (MAC) A mine action centre is a facility containing personnel who co-ordinate and direct mine action resources., Mine awareness See Mine risk education, Mine clearance The clearance of mines and UXO from a specified area to a predefined standard., Mine database A collection of information on landmines and UXO, used for determining national plan priorities, collating and analysing the mine information, surveys, performance and other mine clearance related details. Most MACs also contain a limited map-producing capability., Mine detection dog (MDD) A dog selected and trained to detect explosive vapours and other signatures in order to locate buried mines. MDD are often capable of locating buried ordnance and tripwires as well as mines., Mine protected vehicle A vehicle that has been specially designed, or fitted with additional armour, to offer the occupants protection from land mines., Mine Risk Education Mine Risk Education (MRE) is the term used for enhancing awareness of the mine threat among groups such as communities, schools and peacekeepers. It may take virtually any form, including broadcasts, briefings, posters or multimedia presentations and should include information on avoiding danger areas and what action to take when a mine or UXO is found. It is primarily intended to modify behaviour patterns in order to reduce casualties., Mine-safe The term used to indicate an area or region cleared from mines, in which the residual threat is very low. This accepts that some risk remains, but that it compares to other post-conflict nations generally considered to be 'safe', such as most western European countries., Mine verification The act of verifying that an area or road is clear of mines and munitions. Normally undertaken when roads have been frequently used but actual mine clearance operations have not taken place., Mined area An area declared dangerous due to the presence or suspected presence of mines. (NATO definition), Minefield In land warfare, an area of ground containing mines laid with or without a pattern. (NATO definition), Minefield survey See Survey., Minimum-metal The correct term for a mine in which the metal Content has been kept to a minimum. Almost all fuzed mines contain some metal; therefore, terms such as 'non-metallic', 'undetectable' and 'anti-magnetic' are misleading., Minimum-metal Content A term given to both AT and AP mines, but more commonly to AP mines with a limited metal Content. Minimum-metal Content mines normally have a few very small components of metal - for example, a spring, ball bearings and the striker pin. In addition, these metal components may have been manufactured from specialised material such as stainless steel which can be difficult to detect. It has been recommended that Protocol II of the Geneva Convention be amended to specify a metal Content of at least 8 g., Misfire The failure of a munition or explosive charge to fire or explode as intended., Misznay Schardin Named after its inventors, an effect used for the penetration of armour. A shallow dished metal plate (normally copper or steel) is forged into a projectile by the detonation of a charge. The fragment, sometimes called a self-forging fragment or explosively formed projectile/penetrator (EFP), has sufficient density and velocity to penetrate armour at ranges of several metres. The range makes the Misznay Schardin plate ideal for use in off-route mines, while the low weight and compact profile have led to its widespread use in modern scatterable AT mines. Also used by terrorists in improvised anti-armour charges; see "EFP"., Monitoring The authorised observation, by qualified personnel, in order to report on a clearance or demining activity, without taking responsibility for the quality or effectiveness., Munroe effect Named after its inventor, a principle used to focus the power of detonation, normally to defeat armour. A metal cone, generally copper, is surrounded by high explosive and detonated from behind the apex of the cone. As the detonation wave propagates through the explosive, the cone is focused into a high-velocity molten jet. For optimum penetration, the cone must be at the correct distance or 'standoff' from the target., Neutralisation The act of replacing safety devices, such as pins or rods, into an explosive item to prevent the fuze or igniter from functioning. It does not make the item completely safe, as removal of the pins or rods will immediately make the item active again. It should not be confused with disarming., NG-based explosives Nitroglycerine-based explosives., Non-metallic Indicating the total absence of metal, this term is often loosely and incorrectly applied to plastic mines, most of which are actually minimum-metal (see Minimum-metal)., Nuisance minefield The term used for a few mines placed randomly around locations that will disorganise or demoralise an enemy., Off-route mine A mine that fires a projectile into the side of a tank or vehicle, the mine sensor or fuze normally being activated by the vehicle. Sometimes referred to as a horizontal-action mine., Patterned minefield An anti-tank, anti-personnel or mixed minefield where the mines are laid out in known mine clusters, rows or mine strips. Can be laid by hand or mechanical means., Percussion cap An initiation assembly (normally just a few millimetres wide) containing a small amount of a sensitive explosive composition sandwiched between a thin metal cap and an anvil. In a mine, the percussion cap is normally initiated by a striker with a rounded tip; this acts like the firing pin in a firearm., Perimeter marking The outer visible marking of a minefield, consisting normally of wire, tape and/or minefield warning signs., Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Clothing and equipment designed to protect the wearer from the effects of blast and/or fragmentation. PPE may include items such as helmets, visors, goggles, suits, aprons, armour panels and boots., Phoney minefield An area of ground prepared using fences, mine boxes and other minefield identification material to give the impression of a live minefield without it containing any landmines. Used to deceive., Plastic explosive A mouldable form of high explosive., Plunger A fuze component for transferring movement or load, normally in the vertical plane., Pressure plate The top surface of the mine to which the target applies load, often containing or bearing upon the fuze., Probe A tool, consisting of one or more pointed rods or tines, that is used to probe the subsurface of the ground at a predetermined angle in order to locate buried ordnance. Also known as a prodder., Prodder See Probe., Propellant A fast-burning explosive compound or mixture. On ignition, considerable force is generated by the rapidly expanding hot gases. Unlike high explosives, propellants do not detonate., Protective minefield A minefield laid by a unit in order to assist its locality and provide close-in protection. Normally consists of only anti-personnel mines., Pulling The act of attaching a wire or cable to a mine or munition in order to move the item in case an anti-lift or anti-disturbance device has been attached., Pyrotechnic A substance which burns but does not detonate. Normally used to describe slow-burning compositions such as delay trains or flares., Quality assurance The management-oriented processes and procedures which, if followed, should result in a quality product or outcome., Quality control Activities focused on determining, through measurement, the level of compliance with a technical standard., Quality management system (QMS) The combination of an organisation's quality philosophy, quality assurance and quality-control measures., Reference point A fixed point of reference outside the minefield. This point has known co-ordinates that have been ascertained by survey, resection or use of GPS. Also called a benchmark. (NATO definition), Render-safe procedure (RSP) Render-safe procedures are the procedures that enable the neutralisation and/or disarming of mines and munitions to occur in a recognised and safe manner. (NATO definition), Safe lane A lane that is clear of all mines and UXO., Safety pin A simple safety device used to prevent actuation of a fuze mechanism. The safety pin is generally removed to arm the fuze and replaced to neutralise it., Secondary fragmentation The material, not belonging to the mine, resulting from the detonation such as rocks, branches and dirt. Depending on the material, secondary fragmentation can travel long distances., Self-destruction The process by which a munition is detonated by its own fuzing system after a predetermined delay., Self-forging fragment The projectile formed by a Misznay Schardin plate when subjected to detonation. See Misznay Schardin., Self-neutralisation The process by which a munition renders itself inert, so that it no longer poses a threat., Shaped charge A warhead in which the explosive is specially shaped to achieve a directional effect. Examples include HEAT (Munroe effect) and Misznay Schardin warheads (see separate entries)., Single impulse mine A mine activated by pressure which is designed to activate after a single actuation on the pressure mechanism., Site mapping A diagram which details the organisation of a working site., Squib A squib is a small electrically initiated pyrotechnic charge similar to a match head, though faster burning. In mines, squibs are normally used to ignite propellant charges or generate gas to drive a mechanical component., Stab-sensitive Designed to be initiated by the penetration of a striker tip. Stab-sensitive initiators contain an extremely friction-sensitive explosive composition covered by a thin waterproof membrane. The striker used to initiate a stab-sensitive composition is normally sharply pointed. Unlike percussion caps, they require very little mechanical energy for initiation, and are therefore extremely dangerous., Start line A line related to the benchmark or reference point forward of which all demining occurs. The line does not have to be straight. See also base line., Start point A point where demining commences within an allotted clearance area. Normally the start point is the location where the first clearance lane intersects the start line., Striker The moving part of a mechanical fuze, normally spring-loaded, which initiates the explosive train. Strikers are normally used with percussion caps or stab-sensitive compositions. See percussion cap and stab-sensitive., Submunition A submunition is a minelet or bomblet that forms part of a cluster bomb or artillery shell payload., Survey A component of mine action, which involves the gathering of intelligence in order to identify suspected or known minefield areas. It also involves the reduction and marking of the areas before demining activities. The two major components of survey are:, Sympathetic detonation The propagation of a detonation wave between two physically separated charges., Technical adviser (TA) A field operations manager (often expatriate), normally employed to train and supervise teams engaged in demining., Tether wire A wire connecting the internal body to the outer container of a central portion of the bounding mine, which determines the height at which the main charge will detonate., Tilt-rod A post or pole normally attached to a fuze mechanism on top of a mine. Pressure against the tilt-rod activates by breaking or releasing mechanical retaining devices, thereby starting the activation chain of the fuzing mechanism., Track-width clearance Normally associated with mechanical clearance devices that clear the width of the vehicle tracks only, such as rollers and ploughs. See also full-width clearance., Tripwire A wire, arranged across the path of an intended victim, used to initiate a mine. In most applications the tripwire is simply used to pull out the pin retaining a spring-loaded striker. Tripwires can be taut or slack and are normally laid on, or close to, the ground. One end is normally anchored to vegetation or a stake, but tripwires can have both ends attached to mines. A taut tripwire can also be used to initiate a mine when it is cut, though this is dangerous to set up and therefore rare., Turning point A surveyed point on the perimeter of a minefield where there is a change in direction. This point has known co-ordinates and is related by bearing (azimuth) and distance to either an earlier turning point or an intermediate point., Unexploded ordnance (UXO) Explosive ordnance which has been primed, fuzed, armed or otherwise prepared for use or used. It could have been fired, dropped, launched or projected yet remains unexploded either through malfunction or design or for any other cause.

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