http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100211/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_the_breacher
This is a neat new toy, the Assault Breacher, this is mighty impressive, just depolyed in combat for the first time in Afghanistan. The coil explosive charge in most impressive. Anyone know anything else about these?
Now that would come in handy on the freeway during rush hour…
Better yet on the Seattle Linier Parking lots, oh those are Freeways! One wonders what the bad guys are thing when they that that coming at them?
Paul
One cool machine. Need to run one down the free ways here. Later RJD
Things sure have advanced since “Folson’s Funnies.”
Tom,
I am not the greatest history buff, is that the Army guy who came up with the ‘Hedge Trimmer’ for the tanks in WWII?
Bob C.
Bob Cope said:
is that the Army guy who came up with the 'Hedge Trimmer' for the tanks in WWII?Bob C.
It appears the difference between the ABV and previous mine plows is the use of detonation charges, I could be wrong on that.
Paul
He was a brit who came up with all sorts of odd things mounted to the front of tanks, like whirling chains with hammers on the ends for getting rid of mines on the beach. Proved very useful on D day, though some of them looked a little silly.
The hedgerow cutter was teeth welded low on the front of the tank so it would dig in and plow up the hedge row 'stead of rolling up and exposing the thin underside. A simple solution to a big problem.
Clearing mines with that explosive rope isn’t new. When the rope of C4 goes off, it makes a shock wave that detonates any other nearby explosives. Very impressive!
My friend is an engineer for the army. They have used a variation of this for years called an M-728 CEV (combat engineer vehicle). There CEV was based off a Vietnam era tank I believe an M-60 walker bulldog frame.
When dropped in the ground the plow works just like a farmers plow turning the land over and to the side clearing a road but instead of pulled it’s pushed. The skis (SPELLING?) mentioned keep the plow from sinking too deep in the ground. The vehicle has massive amounts of armor on the front and bottom to protect it from explosives, with the new IED’s i would assume the sides are armored now too.
In the army, the “cannon” was nothing more than a glorified mortar launcher that shot a huge C-4 charge. It was used to destroy bunkers and fortifications. Another use of the cannon though was to shoot a slug with det cord attached to it for some distance. Then they could blow up the det cord and create a safe road in the line it left.
The engineer version had a tow frame/crane on the back to haul vehicles and winches and other engineer toys to make it more useful to their job.
http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_m728.php
I’m only assuming (an ya know where that gets ya) that the marines version is a modernized version of this.