To counter maneuver and advance enemy forces on land, minefields are widely used - artificial obstacles erected in advance or immediately before hostilities in order to inflict maximum damage to enemy forces and destroy their equipment and weapons.
Among all engineering munitions, the most effective is the MON-50 anti-personnel mine. For the first time this type of explosive shells was used during the fighting in Afghanistan. Since then, the mine has been significantly improved and developed in the form of several modifications.
Anti-personnel mine
MON-50 is the first Russian fragmentation mine designed to destroy enemy manpower. It is a rectangular prism made of plastic. It can be used to destroy soldiers in armored vehicles and other lightly armored vehicles.
The enemy is defeated by metal balls (6.35 mm in diameter) or rollers (rollers). The MON-50 anti-personnel mine with metal rollers does more damage to the target due to the special shape of the damaging elements.
Depending on the type of fuse installed, the mine can be activated from the remote control at the command of the operator or when the soldier touches the opponent with a break / pull sensor. An engineering projectile is installed on the ground on special folding legs or attached to horizontal surfaces and local objects with a clamp.
Construction MON-50
Outwardly, the mine is a narrow convex rectangular prism. Five basic elements are included in its design: the body, the striking elements, the fuse, the explosive charge and the clamp.
The case is made of plastic. This allows to reduce the total mass of the projectile and at the same time makes it difficult to detect mine detectors. In the upper part of the case there are two threaded holes for installing fuses under the electric detonator EDP-r or for laying the fuse MD-5M, as well as an aiming slot and an arrow indicating the direction of action. On its lower wall, the MON-50 mine has folding legs for installing the device in snow or in the ground, as well as a flange for attaching a clamp.
The striking elements are metal balls (6.35 mm in diameter) or cylinders (rollers) with a height of 7 mm and a weight of 1.5 grams. The fragments are located in one layer on the inside of the convex part of the body and are filled with epoxy resin. The identical dimensions and geometry of the striking elements allow them to evenly spread in space, to maintain their initial speed longer due to the good aerodynamic shape.
Explosive charge and detonating device
RDX is used as an explosive charge. Its mass is 0.7 kg, its location is behind the slaughter elements (it fills the entire cavity free of fragments). Mine MON-50 to detonate the charge is equipped with an electric detonator EDP-r or fuse MD-5M with a pricking mechanism.
Both devices are used to remotely detonate
explosives. The EAF-r looks like a detonator capsule, in the barrel of which an electric igniter with an incandescent bridge of nichrome or platinum-iridium alloy is placed. The electric detonator has established itself as one of the most reliable.
An uncontrolled version of a mine is equipped with an MVE-72 or MUV fuse, used even during the Second World War. In this case, the mine is activated when the fuse sensor (MVE-72) is grazed or the detonator wire of the series is displaced.
The performance characteristics
The ancestor of the MON-50 mine was the engineering munition M18 Claymore of the US troops, which was actively used during the fighting in Vietnam.
The performance characteristics of the MON-50 mines differ from the characteristics of the American counterpart in a more focused radius of fragmentation, as well as a number of other indicators:
- the total mass of mines - 2 kg;
- Dimensions (WxHxT) - 226 x 90 x 66 mm;
- the number of slaughter elements - 485 balls or 540 rollers;
- sector of defeat - 54 o ;
- the radius of expansion of the fragments - 50 m, height - 4 m;
- the range of damage to vehicles and manpower in it is up to 30 m.
A mine can remain cocked for an unlimited amount of time. Mechanisms for self-destruction, non-removability and non-decontamination are not provided. Safe removal from a mine in the rear - 30 meters. But in practice, judging by the reviews, the fragments do not affect the personnel at a distance of 12-15 meters.
Landing a mine
In several ways, MON-50 (mine) can be installed. Mining methods depend on terrain and climatic conditions.
For early fixation of the device in the ground, you must:
- Loosen plug for fuse hole.
- Spread the legs and turn the projectile with the convex side towards the enemy.
- Using the sights, aim the device at the target.
- Press the mine feet into the ground to a depth that provides a stable position.
- Screw one of the detonators into the ignition socket.
- Disguise mine.
When using an electronic converter, connect the cable to the electrical control network. If the situation allows, then a vertical milestone with a height of 60 (160) centimeters, at a distance of 10 (30) meters, is installed for aiming.
Landing mines on snow, on local objects
The installation of the MON-50 mine at a depth of snow load of less than 20 cm is carried out on a bag pre-packed with snow, which fits on a well-packed snowdrift. After installing the engineering ammunition, it is sprinkled to the lower edge of the hull, and also camouflaged by loose snow. It is important that the thickness of the snowdrift in front of the convex wall is no more than 10 cm.
If the terrain does not allow the mine to be fixed in soil or snow, then it is installed on local objects. To do this, a clamp is screwed into the flange on the lower edge of the housing. It is attached with a screw to wooden poles, trees, and with the use of a fixing screw and nut - on metal structures. In this case, the order of bringing the mines does not change.
Disinfection Methods
Mine clearance technology depends on the type of detonator installed. If you are using a controlled fuse type EDF-r, you must:
- Disconnect the electric detonator from the control network.
- Unmask the mine and remove the fuse.
- Remove the device from the installation site.
If the mine MON-50 is equipped with a fuse MVE-72, then its disposal is impossible. In this case, it is destroyed by trawling in accordance with the instructions. When using the rare VZD-6ch or VZD-144ch fuses (timed fuses), the mines are cleared by exclusively trained sappers in accordance with the instructions for this type of detonator.
Combat use
The MON-50 mines were actively used to defend borders, airfields, and checkpoints of Soviet troops during the Afghan war. At the same time, the method of installing minefields nodes in gorges, where, according to intelligence, caravans or rebel units were supposed to pass, was especially widespread.
During combat operations, the MON-50 mine gained widespread fame among Soviet soldiers, especially those who had to carry out many hours of service on patrol or at checkpoints. The result of "popular glory" was the appearance of the MON-90 modification, which should have been favorably distinguished by a greater range of flight of fragments (up to 90 m).
But in practice, the slaughter elements of the MON-90 mine barely reached the line of 50 meters. In view of the same efficiency, but much larger mass and dimensions, this modification did not gain fame among the soldiers. Currently, there are several modifications of this ammunition with a range of 100 and 200 meters.