The US Army is seeking to develop a new anti-tank mine capable of automatically detecting enemy vehicles and firing submunitions at the top of the vehicle.
The army expects the system to develop “bottom attack” and “full network capabilities,” the army’s Picatinny Arsenal wrote in a call for proposals.
The first stage of the development process will commence in April 2022, the second in July 2025, and the final stage a year after the start of the second stage, according to the announcement.
‘Top Attack’ System
The service expects the system to detect an enemy armored vehicle and fire submunitions into the air through a munitions launcher, targeting the top, most vulnerable part of a vehicle.
The system also needs to be linked to a Remote Control Station (RCS), and should have an “obstacle planning capability,” the proposal request stated.
Explaining the importance of being linked to other systems through RCS, The Drive wrote it will help reduce the risk of “friendly forces and innocent bystanders” accidentally stepping on the mines.
Remote Control of up to Three Miles
The proposal request further stipulated that the remote control range of the RCS should be from a distance of up to 3 miles (5 kilometers) line-of-sight.
Meanwhile, Drive wrote that the top attack mines should be able to effectively engage targets up to 164 feet (50 meters) away.
The army also requires that the munition should be more lethal than similar munitions of previous generations such as the M93 Hornet and XM204.
The requirement was announced by the New Jersey-based Army Research and Manufacturing Facility as part of the Close Terrain Shaping Obstacle program.
The program aims to develop combat systems and munitions to best utilize obstacles in the terrain while limiting the enemy’s ability to do the same.
