Python minefield breaching system
British Army vehicle
The Python minefield breaching system is used by the British Army to clear minefields. It replaces the Giant Viper, and has the ability to clear a safe lane in minefields 180-200 m long and 7.3 m-wide (24 ft) through which vehicles can pass.
The system works by firing a single rocket from a launcher mounted on a 136-kilogramme trailer which has to be towed to the edge of the mined area. Attached to the rocket motor 250 mm L9 53 kg is a 228 m-long (748 ft) hose packed with 1455 kg of pe6/al explosive. After the hose lands on the ground it detonates and destroys over 90% of mines along its entire length. The 10% that are not destroyed are simply pushed aside to safety. It can be used in tandem to defeat double impulse mines or mines of greater depth. It also contains a 9 kg high-explosive substitute at the end with a .9 kg booster of pe4.
Python has been used operationally with the Trojan AVRE in Afghanistan. During Operation Moshtarak the Royal Engineers attempted to use this traditional mine clearance equipment in the Counter-IED role in support of a major British Army advance.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Python minefield breaching system”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- AVRE Carrying Fascine MOD 45149255.jpg by Graeme Main, OGL v1.0
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