Mines & Clearing Charges, All Types

The Mines & Clearing Charges, All Types program is a critical component of the Army's ammunition procurement budget, supporting both operational and training requirements for a range of mine and mine-clearing systems. The objective of this line item is to ensure the Army maintains sufficient inventories of anti-personnel mines, mine-clearing charges, and associated training devices to meet war reserve, operational, and training needs as outlined in DoD Instruction 3000.04 and Army Regulation 5-13. The budget request is allocated to procure six distinct variants of mines and mine-clearing charges, each designed to address specific tactical and training requirements.

The M18A1 Claymore is a directional anti-personnel mine used for defensive operations, including the protection of bivouac areas, outposts, and against infiltration by enemy personnel or light vehicles. The objective is to procure Claymore mines, supporting both annual training and the buildup of war reserve inventories. The procurement process involves contractors for load, assemble, and pack (LAP) operations, and for explosive components, ensuring readiness for both active and reserve components.

The M88 Volcano Practice Mine is a practice mine canister used in the Volcano mine dispensing system for training purposes. It contains inert simulants and is designed to replicate the deployment of live tactical mines, allowing soldiers to train safely and effectively. The Army plans to procure M88 canisters to support functional training and maintain an adequate war reserve inventory. Contractors are involved in the production and delivery of these training rounds.

The Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System (APOBS) is a lightweight, man-portable system used by combat engineers to clear lanes through wire obstacles and anti-personnel mines. It consists of a line charge and a rocket motor, with key components produced by government and commercial facilities. The objective is to procure APOBS units to support both training and operational requirements. This system enhances the Army's capability to conduct rapid breaching operations in contested environments.

The M58A4 Mine Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC) is a vehicle-launched, rocket-propelled line charge system used to clear vehicle-width lanes through minefields. The budget supports the procurement of MICLICs, with production managed at government ammunition plants and explosives sourced from designated facilities. The MICLIC is essential for enabling maneuver forces to breach minefields and is actively used in combat engineering operations.

The M68A2 Inert Line Charge for MICLIC is an inert training version of the MICLIC line charge, identical in weight and form to the live version but containing no explosives. This allows for repeated use in training exercises. The request includes funding for engineering support and continued production, ensuring that soldiers can safely train on the deployment and operation of the MICLIC system.

The MK22 MOD 4 Rocket Motor for MICLIC is used to deploy both the live and inert MICLIC line charges. The budget allocates funding for the procurement of rocket motors, with production and subcomponent contracts managed by government facilities. The program ensures the availability of critical propulsion components for mine-clearing operations, with an emphasis on maintaining a reliable supply chain for propellant through the National Technology and Industrial Base.