The TM-83 is a Soviet off-route
shaped charge
A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to form an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, init ...
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 ...
, first shown publicly in
1993, and developed in
1983. The mine consists of a large
Misznay Schardin effect warhead and is actived using its
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 ...
and
seismic sensors.
Deployment
The mine can be installed on soil, or be attached to various objects only manually.
The mine is generally positioned 5 meters from the road, and it is intended to attack and aimed using an integrated sight.
The TM-83 can be deployed in two operation modes – autonomous or controlled. The primary difference is that the controlled version has a 100-meter-long wire attached, allowing the operator to switch it through its various modes repeatedly (safe or active, see ). If the mine is controlled, it can be switched to its safety mode and be easily removed; however, if the mine is in its autonomous mode, it is considered impossible to remove due to the high sensitivity of the seismic sensor and the chance that the mine will be set off by the
infrared
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 ...
emissions of the human body 10 meters from any direction. If the engineer desired to destroy the mine in its autonomous mode, then it is only possible with large
caliber
In guns, particularly firearms, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel Gauge (firearms) , bore – regardless of how or where the bore is measured and whether the f ...
machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
fire.
The mine installation by two trained personnel takes 15-20 minutes.
Action
The mine has two modes of operation after deployment: using its
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 ...
or
seismic sensors, which can be classified as "active" and "passive" respectively. The seismic sensor allows the mine to work in "standby" mode and requires less power to run, as the mine has a set of batteries, and, thus, a limited energy source. As soon as the seismic sensor detects an approaching target, the mine switches to its "active" mode, toggling the use of its infra-red sensor. The mine explodes when the target enters the range of detection by the infra-red sensor. At a range of 5–50 meters, the mine is claimed to penetrate 100 mm of armour at 30°
LOS
LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to:
Science and technology
* Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation
* Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers
* Level of significance, a measure of statistical significance ...
, creating a hole 80 mm in diameter.
If no target was detected by the
IR sensor ''three'' minutes after the infra-red sensor is activated, the mine switches back to its "standby" mode.
Specifications
* Weight
** Full assembly: 28.1 kg
** Mine: 20.4 kg
** Detonator: 2.7 kg
** Charge: 9.6 kg of TG-40 (60/40
RDX
RDX (abbreviation of "Research Department eXplosive") or hexogen, among other names, is an organic compound with the formula (O2N2CH2)3. It is a white solid without smell or taste, widely used as an explosive. Chemically, it is classified as a ...
/
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
- very similar to
Composition B
Composition B, colloquially Comp B, is an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is used as the main explosive filling in artillery projectiles, rockets, land mines, hand grenades and various other munitions. It was also use ...
)
* Dimensions:
45.5x37.7x44 cm
* Shelf life:
10 years
* Temperature range of use:
-30 to +50 °С
* Action time:
30 days until a battery change is required
* Sensor sensitivity
**
Seismic sensor: 200-250 m (tank)
**
Infra-red sensor: 90-120 m (tank)
See also
*
PFM-1
PFM-1 () is a scatterable high explosive anti-personnel land mine of Soviet and Russian production. It is also known as a Green Parrot or Butterfly Mine. The mines can be deployed from mortars, helicopters and aeroplanes in large numbers; they ...
*
PMN mine
The PMN () series of blast anti-personnel mines were designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union. They are one of the most widely used and commonly found devices during demining operations. They are sometimes nicknamed "black widow" because of ...
*
PTM-3 mine
The PTM-3 ( Russian: ПТМ-3: ПротивоТанковая Мина-3) is a Soviet scatterable self-liquidating shaped charge anti-tank mine. The mine's case is made up of a stamped steel body with notches in its side. The notches allow the min ...
*
Misznay Schardin effect
Notes
{{reflist
Anti-tank mines
Land mines of the Soviet Union