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From: gray@s5000.RSVL.UNISYS.COM
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Questions about clearing minefields
Message-ID: <1991Feb9.030803.1477@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 9 Feb 91 03:08:03 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 32
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: gray@s5000.RSVL.UNISYS.COM
Recent posts have mentioned the anti-mine explosive cable towed on a
trailer by tanks (M-60s).  The cable is deployed by a rocket across
the minefield, then the cable is detonated.  This supposedly clears
a 3-meter wide path across the mines.

Innocent questions:

1.)  Can fuel/air bombs be used to clear a minefield?  If yes, any
     estimates of the dimensions of the clearing?

2.)  Could a sonic boom clear a minefield?  If so, at what altitude
     would the aircraft have to fly to be effective?  Or are we really
     talking about a Mach 1+ earthworm here?

3.)  WRT the cable, 3 meters by what length?

4.)  If either 1 or 2 above is feasible, how quickly could they be
     executed compared to 3?  (I understand that fuel/air bombs require
     cooperative weather conditions; assume they exist.)

I'd be happy to summarize e-mail replies and pass them on to Bill for
posting.

Bill
-- 
: gray@rsvl.unisys.com                      :                                  :
:                                           :  My gun is safer than Ted        :
: Unisys has enough problems without being  :  Kennedy's car.                  :
: blamed for my personal opinions.          :                                  :