228:) following in the tracks of the first tank drives over it – an event which might occur seconds, hours or even weeks later. The M608 double-impulse fuze is particularly useful when fitted to mines located on the outer edges of minefields, because this gives tank operators a false sense of security. The lead tank, for instance, can drive over 30 mines fitted with double-impulse fuzes without detonating any of them. This lures tank operators deep into the minefield, where they eventually trigger mines fitted with the M603 or M624 fuze (both of which operate exclusively in single-impulse mode) and become trapped. Attempts to recover the tanks or rescue victims are hindered by the fact that the M608-fitted mines previously driven over are now operating in single-impulse mode, and also because minefields containing M15 mines usually contain various
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screwed into a secondary fuze well in the side of the mine. Additionally, an M5 anti-lift device has been screwed into another fuze well, hidden under the mine. An inexperienced deminer might detect and render safe the pull-fuze, but then be killed when he lifted the mine, triggering the M5
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as the liquid froze, whereas temperatures above 50 degrees
Celsius could cause the fuze to detonate spontaneously. Just as problematic was the fact that M600 fuzes were inherently unstable, making them dangerous to handle, particularly after having been kept in storage for some time.
103:, which in turn rests directly over the M603 fuze. When sufficient downward pressure is applied to the pressure plate (i.e. when a vehicle drives over it) the concertina spring is compressed. This action transfers pressure onto the M603 fuze which fires, triggering
205:. The M600 stockpile was deemed too dangerous to use and demolished at this time. The M603 fuze is inherently safe to handle and much more reliable. In addition to the standard M603 fuze, two additional fuzes are available: the M624
209:(which offers full-width attack capability) and the M608 double-impulse fuze. The M624 fuze requires 3.75 pounds-force (16.7 N) of force to move the tilt rod, and once it exceeds 20 degrees of tilt the mine will detonate.
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The lower diagram shows two anti-tank landmines connected by a cord attached to the upper mine's carrying handle. The cord is attached to a pull fuze installed in a secondary fuze well in the bottom mine.
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case, with a central pressure plate. In the center of the pressure plate is the M4 arming plug, which has an arming lever which can be set to "ARMED" or "SAFE". The pressure plate sits on top of a
107:. Because this mine has a metallic case, it is very easy to find it using even the most basic mine detector. However, a complicating factor is posed by the two secondary fuze wells. These enable
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Because of these shortcomings, the M600 chemical fuze was removed from service around 1953 and replaced by the M603 single-impulse fuze, which used a mechanical trigger mechanism i.e. a
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of liquid explosive. Unfortunately, the M600 fuze was sensitive to temperature variations and therefore unreliable. For example, freezing temperatures made the mine
240:. An additional benefit of double-impulse fuzes is that they give mines a degree of protection against clearance techniques which use blast overpressure or
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The U.S.A holds a large inventory of this mine. In 1984 it had approximately 1,904,000 M15 mines in storage, of which around 70% were serviceable.
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of more modern design), the U.S. retains large stocks of M15s because they are still regarded as reliable and effective weapons. When used against
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to be fitted: one on the side of the mine and one underneath. Additionally, a minefield containing M15 mines may also contain a number of
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79:, but has a comparatively small likelihood of causing crew fatalities. However, when used against light vehicles such as
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drives over it: instead, it simply arms itself so that the mine detonates when the second vehicle (e.g. an
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Cross sectional view of an M15 mine, and an M603 fuze, as well as the appearance of a mine with an M624
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M15 mines removed from a Cuban minefield being stacked for disposal. Three of them show additional
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The M15 mine was originally intended to be fitted with the M600 single-impulse
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The M608 double-impulse fuze will not detonate the mine when the first
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Operating pressure: 160 to 340 kg (for the M603 pressure fuze)
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mine-field) await destruction. The top two mines show additional
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the M15 is primarily a "track-breaker" which creates
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used with M15 mines. The upper diagram shows a pull-
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95:The mine consists of a large, circular rounded
87:the damage it can inflict is much more severe.
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59:. Essentially, it is a larger version of the
345:Military equipment introduced in the 1950s
162:pressure-release firing device underneath.
320:Jane's Mines and Mine Clearance 2005–2006
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23:Five M15 landmines (recovered from a
256:Explosive content: 10.3 kg of
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51:is a large circular United States
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340:Land mines of the United States
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83:or unarmored vehicles such as
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122:of different types (e.g. the
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232:as well, for instance the
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153:Typical configuration of
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262:Diameter: 333 mm
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155:anti-handling devices
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109:anti-handling devices
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253:Weight: 14.3 kg
144:metal mine detectors
53:anti-tank blast mine
265:Height: 150 mm
230:antipersonnel mines
120:antipersonnel mines
61:M6A2 anti-tank mine
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69:minimum metal mine
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33:
287:M23 chemical mine
238:M16 bounding mine
203:belleville spring
176:wells on the side
101:belleville spring
73:main battle tanks
67:(a plastic-cased
16:US anti-tank mine
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335:Anti-tank mines
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309:"M600 Fuze Job"
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248:Specifications
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77:mobility kills
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258:Composition B
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220:or perhaps a
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113:minimum metal
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41:tilt-rod fuze
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242:mine roller
91:Description
329:Categories
293:References
105:detonation
57:Korean War
244:systems.
224:towing a
116:M19 mines
43:installed
281:See also
234:M14 mine
226:howitzer
65:M19 mine
49:M15 mine
191:ampoule
124:VS-MK2
85:trucks
273:Users
222:truck
195:inert
181:Fuzes
140:PMA-3
136:PMA-2
132:TS-50
128:SB-33
97:steel
31:wells
25:Cuban
236:and
214:tank
187:fuze
174:fuze
159:fuze
81:APCs
47:The
29:fuze
218:APC
138:or
331::
300:^
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134:,
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311:.
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