Mine Clearance with the Minewolf Machine in Sudan

Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Volume 10 Issue 1 The Journal of Mine Action Article 24

August 2006

Picking the Right Tool for the Right Task: Mine Clearance with the MineWolf Machine in Sudan

Christoph Frehsee MineWolf Systems AG

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Recommended Citation Frehsee, Christoph (2006) "Picking the Right Tool for the Right Task: Mine Clearance with the MineWolf Machine in Sudan," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 10 : Iss. 1 , Article 24. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol10/iss1/24

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the IMATC to become humanitarian its national regeneration plan and assign es- to build a mine-detection dog training deminers and EOD technicians respective- sential funding and personnel. facility on the grounds of the IMATC. Picking the Right Tool for the Right Task: ly, was funded by the British government’s At present, MAT Chief Technical Advisor A continued partnership with Securatec, Department for International Development in Uganda Danny Danenbergsons is assist- a German-owned commercial dog-training Mine Clearance with the MineWolf and the U.K. Ministry of Defence. MAT ing in the development of the national mine- company that operates globally, means that has been contracted through the United clearance programme and will then deploy on the supply of high-calibre and well-trained Nations Development Programme by the operations with the UPDF. It is a very delicate MDDs will soon be well-established in Machine in Department for International Development eastern Africa to move and sup- to provide the Technical Advisors to super- port a myriad of mine-action vise the Ugandans in their new role, en- programmes/agencies in coun- Sudan suring that the International Mine Action tries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Standards are maintained and the teams Somaliland and South Sudan. In 2005, Norwegian People’s Aid used the mechanical mine-clearance operate at their maximum capability. Damian Leitch, the MAT Upon completion of the course and re- Technical Advisor and head of machine MineWolf to aid in the demining process in Yei, South Sudan. patriation to Uganda, MAT was essential the MDD training facility, the in helping to shape the strategic policy for Dirk-Ridge Dog Centre, con- the deployment of these newly trained forc- trols the day-to-day running of The MineWolf system combines both the tiller and flail systems. The mine- es. The Office of the Prime Minister and PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN REMFREY the centre and occasionally assists the mine-action Technical Advisor for the the instructors from the IMATC clearance team overcame several challenges to transport the 25-ton machine UNDP have agreed to acquire the neces- during the course. Leitch provides sary life support9 and operational funding specific EOD knowledge from his for the teams to undergo refresher training experiences gained during his ca- to South Sudan. Once there, the MineWolf was used to clear over 280,000 and deploy to the field to conduct clearance reer in a British Army EOD team operations. This has by no means been an M79 submunitions. operating in countries such as Iraq, square meters (69 acres) of land, including a school complex, a planned easy feat, and with this new approach to Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and national capacity building, there is now a Macedonia. Andreas Steineberg, the heavy emphasis on the local governmental MDD TA employed by Securatec, housing complex and a teacher-training centre. infrastructure to include mine action within is responsible for the actual dog and balance 10 that the MAT team has to manage, handler training beyond the standard re- by Christoph Frehsee [ MineWolf Systems GmbH ] as there must be some close supervision to en- quired by the IMAS. sure standards are maintained while allowing Once the MDD teams are trained, MAT the command element to develop. will deploy them to countries that have udan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years The government of Uganda’s mine- a need for MDDs, and with the help of of its post-independence existence, making its internal battles action aspiration is to free the country from NGOs/commercial organisations, will put S part of Africa’s longest running conflict. The civil war has the most severe humanitarian and economic the MDDs to work, utilising them in area created a considerable problem with landmines and unexploded ord- effects of landmines and UXO by 2009. The reduction and quality assurance as part of a nance in Sudan. In general, the mines are located along communica- prioritisation of mine-action tasks will be national mine-action programme. tion and logistical lines and around towns and military facilities. In

in accordance with the government’s newly 2002, the United Nations reported that landmines on key logistical ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MINEWOLF SYSTEMS published document, “National Policy for The Future routes were a great impediment to the delivery of humanitarian aid. IDPs [Internally Displaced Persons],”11 tak- MAT has provided programmes in Consequently, much of the aid has been delivered by air at tremen- ing into consideration the government’s reha- Eritrea and the Democratic Republic of the dous cost. The involved parties have specified clearance of the road bilitation and reconstruction requirements. Congo for many years. It is now implement- network as the first priority, the second priority being access to water Nigel Howard is a former officer in the British Army where, after graduating In order to implement this policy effectively, ing mine clearance and needs assessments and the third, food security. Almost four years after setting these from the University of Sheffield (U.K.) the staff needs a great deal of cultural sensi- in Uganda and developing an MDD capa- priorities, they are still struggling with the first one. with an honours degree in civil and tivity and empathy to ensure that the right bility in Kenya. MAT aims to consolidate In 2005, Norwegian People’s Aid decided to support its mine- structural engineering and French, capability is employed to maximum effect. these activities and to expand its “toolbox” action program in Yei with a mechanical mine-clearance machine he specialised in bomb disposal, Concurrently, MAT has secured ad- method of clearance. high-risk search and operational called the MineWolf. The MineWolf is a German machine that management. ditional funding from the UNDP to con- With the influx of mine-action activity combines the advantages of both the tiller and flail systems. It is duct another needs assessment, which will in Sudan and as donors are re-educated to designed as a multi-purpose toolbox to provide maximum flexibility concentrate on the two northern districts the plight of Africans living with the threat for the user, especially in the challenging environment of Sudan. As Nigel Howard, BEng (hons) of Lira and Soroti. With the desire for this of landmines and UXO, a concerted effort a result of a feasibility study in January 2005, it became clear that in Operations Manager Mines Awareness Trust NA to incorporate even more districts, there to use every method available to clear land is order to support and move a 25-ton machine in South Sudan, a well- c/o SOG is a creditable drive by all involved toward needed so the people can return to their way equipped and perfectly organized team must be formed to deliver La Villiaze, St. Andrews securing more funding to make this possible of life without fear of death or injury. Without cost-effective results. The main challenges would be transportation, Guernsey, GY6 8YP so that valuable and critical information a multifaceted mine-action programme fully hard ground conditions during the dry period and dense vegetation Channel Islands / Great Britain required for a focused and efficient mine- implemented at the U.N. or national level, Tel: +44 1481 233 780 after the rainy period. Based on its experience in the Balkans, Fax: +44 1481 239 337 action plan can become a reality. Uganda will be unable to free itself from the MineWolf Systems provided NPA with a tailor-made transport and E-mail: [email protected] threat of landmines and UXO. support solution. Web site: Mine Detection Dog Programme For additional references for this article, http://www.minesawareness.org At IMATC please visit http://maic.jmu.edu/journal/10.1/ Getting There and Moving Around

With the development of Uganda’s focus/howard/howard.htm/#addlrefs To achieve operational flexibility and maximum deployment, MineWolf, a mechanical mine-clearance machine, working in Yei, South Sudan. mine-action capacity, MAT has started See Endnotes, page 109 the system needs its own transport and support assets. Taking into

segment structure allows the mine blast to expand through the tiller to avoid or reduce damage. Nevertheless, the tiller is designed in such a way that every 3.4 millimeters (1.7 inches), a chisel with a diameter of 44 millimeters hits the ground, ensuring that every piece of soil is processed. This guaran- tees that even the smallest AP mines like the M142 or the PMA23 will be hit. In total, the machine cleared more than 280,000 square meters (69 acres) within the Christoph Frehsee is a Senior first nine weeks of operation. The tiller suc- Technical Advisor with MineWolf cessfully withstood several Type 72,4 M155 Systems. Responsible for products Yei, South Sudan, after MineWolf clearance. Service by Joseph Lemi. SOP training. 6 and services, his field of expertise and TM-57 AT mines and also reliably is to set up sustainable mechanical destroyed 21 AP mines, like the M14, and support and training infrastructures. account the poor road conditions oen route t square meters (37 acres). Forces from the reconnaissance conducted. The MineWolf After the team tried both methods, it bounding fragmentation mines like Type He has gathered mine-action experi- and within Sudan, the team faced off-road government of Sudan protected Ronyi from then cleared 13,000 square meters (three concluded that the tiller proved its sustain- 69.7 No intact mines have been found be- ence in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Sudan. challenges. MineWolf chose an ex-military the Sudan People’s Liberation Army opera- acres) and activated five AP mines. The next ability and had a clear advantage over the hind the machine. The clearance result of MAN—an x8 off-road truck equipped tions using landmines. There were numerous evening, only 36 hours after deployment, flail, especially against heavy vegetation the MineWolf allows safe and fast manual with a mobile workshop—to pull the 16- reports of stake mines (POMZ1), which were the whole team arrived back at NPA’s main and hard ground. Furthermore, a tiller has quality control as well as mine detection Christoph Frehsee wheeled customized off-road trailer from only visible in the dry season, as well as mine camp with all its equipment. the advantage of continuously penetrating dog follow-up. Senior Technical Advisor For the next task, the NPA MineWolf the ground to the required depth since, in In a recent issue of the Journal of MineWolf Systems GmbH the port at Mombasa, Kenya, through accidents involving locals gathering building Marsstr. 24 Kenya and Uganda into Sudan. In addition, materials from the abandoned school and its team was called to extend the Yei airfield. contrast to a flail, the rotor is a solid piece Mine Action, A. Griffiths of the Geneva 80335 Munich / Germany a Magirus 6x6 crane vehicle with bridging gardens. During the first week of operations, With Yei having become the most important mulching the ground. Consequently, the International Centre for Humanitarian Tel: +49 89 543 435 0 equipment and spare parts was supplied. the MineWolf cleared 70,000 square meters entry point from Uganda, the 1.2-kilometer- deployment of the tiller allows ground- Demining stated, “Demining should be Fax: +49 89 543 434 15 The first stage of the journey brought the (17 acres) and activated two fragmenta- long (3/4-mile) runway was too short for big- processing results unmatched by common about reducing the extent of the world’s E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.MineWolf.com team from Mombasa to the International tion mines along the main road. On a visit, ger cargo or personnel airplanes. To maintain flail systems, particularly with respect to mined areas in as short a term as pos- Mine Action Training Centre in Nairobi, Aggrey Cyrus Kanyika, Executive Director its important role in transporting the food vegetation and ground penetration. sible. Machines are here to do just that.”8 Kenya, where a demonstration of the equip- of Yei River county, and Matata Khamis supply into South Sudan, the runway had The patented open-tiller design showed MineWolf Systems is committed to putting ment was given to various donors and other Charles, the Yei Community Development to be extended by another half a kilometer unprecedented results when used against this statement into practice. mine-action agencies. On Oct. 7, 2005, the Officer, inspected the task and confirmed (about a third of a mile) into the bush. both AP and AT mines. The basket-type See Endnotes, page 109 two trucks left Nairobi to drive to Koboko the high socioeconomic impact of the results Based on these first promising results, in northern Uganda. for the community. Furthermore, Kanyika the NPA MineWolf Team was deployed by thanked NPA for deploying the MineWolf in the U.N. World Food Programme to open Getting Started Yei county since “it certainly speeds up the the Yei-Juba Road, one of the most impor- Ten days after leaving Nairobi, the process and gives confidence that the mine tant transport lines from Uganda into South MineWolf convoy reached its final desti- problem of Yei will be solved soon.” Sudan. With Juba becoming the new capi- nation in Yei, South Sudan. Upon arrival, tal of South Sudan, it is of great importance the camp was set up, and training of the Let’s Keep Things Running that the road is opened for safe passage not Sudanese staff began, conducted in four Within7 1 working days, the team com- only to distribute food but also to develop major stages. First, Michael Kelly, Senior pleted the task and was ready for the next infrastructure and enable local trade. The Technical Advisor for MineWolf Systems, deployment. The next tasks for the NPA danger area was located on the old demar- and Christoph Frehsee, Director of Product MineWolf team were to clear the area of cation line between government of Sudan and Services, conducted a general intro- the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees’ and Sudan People’s Liberation Army forces duction to the MineWolf mechanical mine planned housing compound. The mine- and was heavily mined from both sides. clearing machine. Second, they gave in- suspected area was located directly next to Within the first 13 working days, the Australia Rejects Anti-vehicle Mine Ban depth lectures on the operating procedures a major road within Yei town. In order to MineWolf detonated five heavy anti-tank mines, crushed eight AT mines to pieces for all team members. After that, specialized ensure maximum safety, guards had to block Citing legitimate military use, the Australian government refused to support an case-study modules were taught for field co- the road and confirm that no one entered the and activated 14 anti-personnel mines while ordinators, section leaders, operators, med- dangerous area during operations. Within clearing more than 62,000 square meters (15 international ban on anti-vehicle mines, which the government last emplaced in ics and deminers. Finally, the team had to five working days, the team had cleared acres) of road. World War II. mechanically prepare a training area as if it 28,000 square meters (7 acres) and handed were a real minefield. the land back to UNHCR. Hard Ground, Heavy Vegetation Though the government has supported global restrictions to ensure the easy detection Only one month after the equipment After several mine incidents near the And AT Mines of mines, it said anti-vehicle mines, which contain more explosive material and arrived in Africa, the NPA MineWolf team teacher training centre in Lutaya, 3.5 kilo- Depending on ground conditions and the require more pressure to detonate, still have legitimate applications. started operations in the Ronyi community meters (2 miles) west of Yei town, the NPA mine threat, NPA could choose to operate on the Yei-Kaya Road. This first task was MineWolf team was deployed as a rapid- the MineWolf with either the open tiller or covering the perimeters of the abandoned St. response task force. a standard flail. The use of quick couplings Australian officials said the last time the government used the larger mines was Augustine Seminary School complex. Due On the morning of November 30, the facilitates replacement of the demining tool in 1942 during the Battle of El Alamein, Egypt. to heavy fighting in this area, the school was fully mobile team left the NPA camp. After attachments in less than 30 minutes. Both moved to northern Uganda. The whole dan- the team arrived onsite, the equipment was tools are equipped with a proven depth- ger area accounted for more than 150,000 unloaded, a control point installed and a site control unit for quality control.