Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: dl3a+@andrew.cmu.edu (Daniel Christopher Ladd) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: tanks towing trailers Message-ID: <1991Feb7.021705.5216@cbnews.att.com> Date: 7 Feb 91 02:17:05 GMT References: <1991Feb5.044116.6760@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 26 Approved: military@att.att.com From: Daniel Christopher Ladd -From: cash@convex.com (Peter Cash) -Several months ago, I noticed some news footage of M1 tanks towing -trailers, and I posted a query to this group about the purpose of these -trailers. (No one seemed to know.) According to an article in my Sunday -newspaper, these trailers launch projectiles ahead of the tank that are -supposed to detonate land mines. No details about functioning were given. -I assume that the trailer is detached before the tank engages in battle. Well, it depends if those trailers were MICLCs (MIne Clearing Line Charges)... which is a tube or hose of explosive with a rocket attached. The tank tows the trailer to the start of the minefield (actually back a hundred or so meters) and fires it. It clears a lane 3 meters wide through the minefield. One problem, though... the M1's exhaust gasses are too hot, and set it off early! Therefore, only a M60 or M48 tank (or variant, such as a CEV) would tow one. Daniel Ladd U.S. Army ROTC Carnegie Mellon University / University of Pittsburgh