Testing mines / Surrogate mines

Dummy testing mines are used by military forces, companies and organizations involved in mine clearance operations, in order to test mine detection and mine clearance systems. During the developmental stages of different mine detection and clearance systems, it is necessary to use mines in order to test the systems’ performance. Naturally, it is very problematic to use live mines for these experiments. Using mines containing explosive material without a mechanism also poses a problem. Therefore, it is necessary to use special mines for testing that will best simulate live mines within the following criteria:

• The shape of the mine
• The mechanism structure
• The shell material
• The metal contents in the mine
• The explosive material inside the mine

For the last 15 years, Cortex Engineering has been specializing in developing and manufacturing dummy testing mines. The mines are widely used by companies engaged in developing different mine detection systems and mine clearance systems, and among others, companies that develop systems in the following

technologies:

• Mechanical systems for mine clearance that work under tilling or milling or flail principle.
• Mine detection systems with GPR – Ground Penetration Radar.
• Different systems for photographing minefields from the air.
• Metal-detector-based mine detectors.

Properties

• Metal mechanism based on the same material, type, size and shape of the parts in live mines.
• Filling material (a special wax) that is dielectrically identical to that of explosive materials, such as RDX, C4, TNT, and Comp. B.
• Thermal diffusivity is similar to the one in a live mine.

Applications

• Testing and comparing mine detection systems.
• Training forces in mine detection techniques.
• Testing and examination of mechanical systems for mine clearance.

Advantages

• Using testing mines instead of live mines for training and testing detection systems.
• Enables placing a mine in the ground for an extended period of time (in order to create a testing area with conditions as close as possible to a real minefield), which eliminates the need for the usual precautions required when handling live mines.
• Reduces testing costs of detection systems.
• Enables simulating a variety of mines while using a single kit.

Technical Specification

• Enclosure: ABS plastic
• Filling material: wax
• Mechanism: steel, 6 different sizes
• Size:
  • AT, 30cm' diameter, 10cm' height
  • AT, 25cm' diameter, 8cm' height
  • AT, 20cm' diameter, 6.5cm' height
  • AP, 12cm' diameter, 6cm' height
  • AP, 9cm' diameter, 4.5cm' height
  • AP, 6cm diameter, 4cm' height