Mine Area Clearance Vehicle Converts for Remote Operations

US Air Force, TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE: The Headquarters Air Combat Command Civil Engineer expressed strong interest in being able to remotely employ a vehicle system and remove the man-in-the-seat during explosive ordnance clearance operations. 
 
The Hydrema 910 Mine Clearance Vehicle MCV-2 Flail System, hereafter referred to as the Mine Area Clearance Vehicle, was found to be a suitable vehicle for the task. The vehicle is a commercially available mine clearing system designed by Hydrema, a Danish commercial heavy equipment manufacturer. 
 
The vehicle is integrated into an articulated chassis so that all four wheels are in contact with the ground at all times. 
 
When being driven on roads the cab is to the front of the vehicle, however during mine clearing operations, the vehicle is driven in reverse with the cab to the rear. 
 
The vehicle is powered by two Perkins 1006-6TW six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines. One engine is used for driving the vehicle and is coupled to a six-speed semi-automatic transmission. The second engine powers the mine clearing flails. 
 
During mine clearing operations a separate hydrostatic transmission is used, which gives a continuously variable speed and considerable force. The complete flail system can be rapidly lowered into position at the rear of the vehicle and can clear a mine path 3.5 meters wide. 
 
During mine clearing, the vehicle can be manually operated from the cab using a joystick, or it can be remotely operated through the use of a computerized fully automatic pilot steering system. When being used in the latter configuration, the operator needs only to select a number of key parameters, for example depth, on the computer monitor. 
 
The depth control of the flail and the armored deflector plate, which is positioned to the immediate rear of the rotating flail, is then fully automated using sensors. The chains rotate clockwise if mines are buried, and anti-clockwise if they are on the surface. 
 
The flail assembly consists of a rotating axle with 72 chains attached; the end of each of these is fitted with a hammer type head that weighs 0.9kg. 
 
Air Combat Command sought out the experts at the Air Force Research Laboratory