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Anti-handling device

An anti-handling device is an attachment to or an integral part of a landmine or other munition such as some fuze types found in general-purpose air-dropped bombs, cluster bombs and sea mines.[1] It is designed to prevent tampering or disabling, or to target bomb disposal personnel. When the protected device is disturbed, it detonates, killing or injuring anyone within the blast area. There is a strong functional overlap of booby traps and anti-handling devices.[2]

Purpose[edit]

Anti-handling devices prevent the capture and reuse of the munition by enemy forces. They also hinder bomb disposal or demining operations, both directly and by deterrence, thereby creating a much more effective hazard or barrier.


Anti-handling devices greatly increase the danger of munitions to civilian populations in the areas in which they are used because their mechanisms are so easily triggered. An anti-tank mine with an anti-handling device fitted is almost guaranteed to detonate if it is lifted/overturned, because it is specifically designed to do so. Munitions fitted with anti-handling devices increase the difficulty and cost of post-conflict clearing operations, due to the inherent dangers of attempting to render them safe.


Not all munitions will have an anti-handling device. Perhaps one in ten antitank mines in a large defensive minefield will have boobytrap firing devices screwed into their secondary fuze wells. Even so, deminers and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel are forced to assume that all items they encounter may have been boobytrapped, and must therefore take extra precautions. This has the effect of significantly slowing down the clearance process.

Anti-lifting devices. A device which initiates an explosion when a protected mine is lifted or pulled out of its hole.

Anti-disturbance device. A device which initiates an explosion when a protected mine is lifted, tilted or disturbed in any way e.g. a notable variant of the featuring an integral mercury switch.

VS-50 mine

Anti-defuzing device. A device which initiates an explosion when an attempt is made to remove a fuze from a protected mine.

Anti-disarming device. A device which initiates an explosion when an attempt is made to set the arming mechanism of a mine to safe.

US Army field manual FM 20–32 classifies four classes of anti-handling devices:

Pull — these are typically installed in secondary fuze wells located on the side or bottom of landmines. The fuze is normally connected to a thin wire attached to the ground, so the wire is automatically pulled if the mine is lifted, shifted or disturbed in any way. Simple pull-fuzes release a spring-loaded striker. More sophisticated versions are electronic i.e. feature a break-wire sensor which detects a drop in voltage. Either way, pulling on the hidden wire triggers detonation.

fuzes

Anti-lifting — these are frequently screwed into an auxiliary fuze pocket located underneath anti-tank landmines. The act of lifting or shifting the mine releases a cocked striker, triggering detonation. The M5 universal firing device is a classic example of an anti-lift fuze. Its standard gauge screw thread allows it to be fitted to various munition types, ranging from an M26 hand grenade up to an M15 antitank landmine.[25]

fuzes

Tilt/vibration switches — this is a fuze installed inside the device which triggers if the sensor is tilted beyond a certain angle or is subject to any vibration. Typically, some form of pendulum arrangement, spring-loaded "trembler" or mercury switch is used to detect this.

detonation

Anti-mine detector fuzes — developed during to detect the magnetic field of mine detectors.

World War II

Electronic — modern electronic fuzes may incorporate anti-handling features. Typically, these fuzes incorporate one or more of the following sensors: seismic, magnetic, light sensitive, thermal or acoustic sensitive. Potentially, such fuzes can discriminate between various types of mine clearance operations i.e. resist activation by devices such as mine flails, plows, or explosives, whilst still detonating when handled by demining personnel. Additionally, electronic fuzes may have an inbuilt self-destruct capability i.e. some form of timer countdown designed to trigger detonation hours, days or even months after deployment, possibly whilst people are attempting to render the device safe. Although fuzes with a self-destruct capability are not anti-handling devices per se, they do add an extra complicating factor to the bomb disposal process.

fuzes

The different classes of anti-handling devices are normally created using a variety of fuzes. This is a list of the types of fuzes used as anti-handling devices:

Minimum metal mine

Blast resistant mine

Booby trap

Fitting External Anti-Handling Devices to Anti-Tank Landmines

MVE-NS mine fuze (anti-handling device)

Russian MC-2 pressure-release antihandling device (circa 1940s) contains 200g explosives and can be used as standalone boobytrap

Russian MC-3 pressure-release antihandling device (circa 1970s), frequently emplaced under the TM-46, |TM-62 and similar anti-tank landmines. It contains 200g explosives and can also be used as standalone boobytrap

Russian ML-7 pressure-release antihandling device (circa 1984) contains 40g explosives and can also be used as standalone boobytrap

Russian ML-8 antihandling device (circa 1980s) contains 80g explosive and can be also used as standalone boobytrap

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