The Echeloned Mine Barriers Breaching Proposals Based on the Experience of the Russian-Ukrainian War

Abstract

The echeloned mine barriers system of the russian occupying forces became a real challenge for the Ukrainian military. The first days of the Ukrainian offensive in the Zaporozhye direction revealed that the russians had created very dense minefields on their defense lines. The occupiers used continuous mining of the area, that is several times higher than the normative values for laying mines. The solution to this problem can be found in the application of non-standard technical solutions and tactical techniques that will allow to break through the echeloned mine barriers system of the russian occupying forces. Regarding the technical aspect of this issue solving, there was an interesting technical solution in the history of weapons and military equipment. We are talking about a hovercraft, that is supported above a supporting surface (land or water) on a compressed air layer (cushion) created by ship fans (superchargers). This principle of movement allows them to overcome underwater engineering structures and to break through mine barriers, to move on ice and swampy terrain, to go to the shore equipped in the anti-landing position, to overcome ditches and trenches. These tactical properties of hovercraft can be taken as a basis for the creation of a new generation of armored vehicles based on new principles of movement. In theory, the combat use of a whole series of armored vehicles on an air cushion (tanks, combat vehicles, armored personnel carriers, mortars, demining machines, evacuation vehicles, etc.) will expand the capabilities of mechanized units, will allow to improve existing methods and techniques for breaking through the echeloned mine barriers, forcing water obstacles, swampy and desert terrain. The issue of creating armored vehicles on an air cushion to break the mine barrier requires further research.