Having considered in the first part the specifics of Russian mining tactics and its analysis by American military experts, let's turn to some mine clearance systems sent to Ukraine by the allies.
These include systems of British origin, knife trawls from Pearson Engineering, Wescom Defense portable mine clearance systems and various mine rollers mounted on vehicles. The UK has also provided a "maneuver support package," which includes equipment for mine clearance and bridging.
Mine clearance machine "Kyler" based on M48 Patton
At the beginning of 2023, Germany supplied four old mine clearance vehicles "Keiler" (Keiler, or "Boar") based on the chassis of the M48 Patton tank. They should not be confused with the Keiler system recently introduced by the German Rheinmetall concern in 2024, developed taking into account the experience of combat operations (although it has not yet entered service) and built on the chassis of the Kodiak combat engineering vehicle, based, in turn, on the Leopard 2 MBT. The upgraded Kaban is equipped with additional armor and Plofadder mine charges from Rheinmetall Denel Munitions, capable of clearing a 9×160 m path through a minefield.
M58 Remote Mine Clearance System (MICLIC)
Since the end of 2022, the American M58 remote mine clearance system (MICLIC) has been used in Ukraine. The system includes a 100-meter linear charge consisting of a hose filled with 800 kg of C4 explosives, which allows you to pave an 8.5×100 m path through the minefield. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have documented their use to overcome Russian minefields, including during the counteroffensive in 2023, but its success was influenced by the evolution of Russian tactics, which was discussed in the first part. In addition, at the end of 2023, an M1150 mine-clearing assault vehicle based on the chassis of the M1A1 Abrams tank with a 4.5 m wide knife trawl and the same linear charge as the M58 was delivered from the United States.
In 2023, Wescom Defense portable mine clearance systems were purchased and shipped to Ukraine, including the heavy portable obstacle and minefield system (H-POMBS), as well as lightweight and training versions. They were to be used to clear corridors through the minefields set up by the Russians around critical energy infrastructure. Initially, the company sold mine clearance equipment to Norway, but after repairs carried out by the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, these devices were donated to Ukraine.
Portable obstacle avoidance system H-POMS from Wescom Defense
As part of an urgent operational order (UOR) supported by the German government, a contract was signed with Pearson Engineering in early 2023 for the supply of a "large number" of NATO-tested full-bore knife trawls for integration with the Visent 1 armored mine clearance vehicle (Wisent 1, or Bizon 1). The goal was to create a version of a universal mine clearance vehicle, which was later transferred to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The contract was executed by Pearson's German partner Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG).
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| "Visent 1" from FFG with a hinged knife trawl from Pearson Engineering. |
| Source: invoen.ru |
The trawls have teeth sunk into the ground, located along the entire width of the machine, which displace buried mines with a pressure fuse and create a safe passage through the minefield. This Wizent 1 mine clearance configuration, which has already proven itself in the armies of other countries (for example, Denmark), is also equipped with a lane marking system that helps the safe passage of troops following the vehicle.
The anti-mine plows included in the Pearsons line of frontal equipment (FEE) are designed to integrate with various types of heavy armored vehicles, allowing them to be used to clear paths through minefields. Trawls are used in the USA with the MICLIC and M1150 systems mentioned earlier.
Abrams M1A2 SEP V3 tanks of the Polish Armed Forces with anti-mine and combat bulldozer dumps from Pearson Engineering.
In particular, in March 2025, Pearson received a contract to equip the new Abrams M1A2SEP V3 MBT of the Polish Armed Forces with mine sweepers and combat bulldozer dumps. The integration was carried out using the SLICE interface kit, which allows you to quickly retrofit a wide range of armored combat vehicles so that they can carry Pearson's FEE and, if necessary, independently carry out mine clearance or eliminate other obstacles on the battlefield.
In 2023, SLICE was adopted by an unnamed first customer to ensure compatibility of FEE with MBT and specialized engineering machines. Interestingly, around the same time, the company was actively supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Source: euro-sd.com
