The M93 Hornet mine is an American
anti-tank mine
An anti-tank mine (abbreviated to "AT mine") is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles.
Compared to anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines typically have a much larger explosive c ...
, it is a wide-area mine, capable of attacking targets up to 100 meters away from its position.
Development
A development contract was awarded to
Honeywell Defense Systems and
Textron Inc. in August 1987. In April 1990, Textron was given the contract to complete development of the system.
Description
The M93 uses both seismic and acoustic sensors to track and identify potential targets near the mine. Once the mine detects a suitable target in range, the mine turns to face the target and elevates the submunition launcher to the correct angle. The submunition is then fired in the direction of the target using a gas generator. An
infra-red
Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...
sensor on the submunition scans the ground as it travels, searching for the target. When the target is detected the submunition triggers a
Misznay Schardin effect warhead that projects a 450 gram
tantalum
Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. Previously known as ''tantalium'', it is named after Tantalus, a villain in Greek mythology. Tantalum is a very hard, ductile, lustrous, blue-gray transition metal that is ...
slug, along with a number of smaller fragments downwards towards the target in a
top attack
Plunging fire is a form of indirect fire, where gunfire is fired at a trajectory to make it fall on its target from above. It is normal at the high trajectories used to attain long range, and can be used deliberately to attack a target not suscep ...
.
See also
*
Land mine
A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...
References
External links
GlobalSecurity.Org: M93 HORNET Family of Wide Area Munitions (WAM)
Anti-tank mines
Land mines of the United States
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