Re: [SG] Wandering mines (was: NAC SAS rescues hostage. . .)

Ye Gods!  It sounds like someone in the Defense Department thinks like
GW style
Space Orks!

(but why do I not find that surprising?)

Jonathan Jarrard <jjarrard@ford.com> on 02/05/99 10:46:28 AM

Please respond to gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU

To:   gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
cc:    (bcc: Jared E Noble/AAI/ARCO)
Subject:  Re: [SG] Wandering mines (was: NAC SAS rescues hostage. . .)

Rob Paul wrote:
>
  I recall a proposed "smart mine" consisting of a sphere with
> an explosive charge, rockets to hurl it in the right direction and a
MAD to
> let it find tanks.  It would have bowled around the battlefield until
it ran
> into a target, then exploded.  The biggest theoretical problem was the
huge
> number of false targets.

I remember seeing this monstrosity on a PBS documentary back in 1990 or
so.  It sort of looked like one of the old-style naval mines (the ones
with the triggers sticking out all over them) except that in this case,
they were small rocket venturies.  It was basically spherical, and
looked to be about 3 feet across.

They showed a film of a test run.  The thing started out by either being
air-dropped or launched from some sort of catapault (they were
considering both methods).  It rolled and bounced its way across the
test range until it got stuck in a trench.  The on-board computer,
having detected that it was no longer moving, then fired the lowest of
the rockets, sending the thing bouncing back up out of the trench and
across the field again, spitting fire periodically any time it paused.
It traced a very erratic course around the field, looking for any large,
magnetic target (like a tank).	When it finally found one, it blew up
(and apparently packed quite a large warhead).

I can't say it looked like the most efficient way to kill tanks, but it
should make a great terror weapon.  It looked quite terrifying as it
bounced around, constantly changing direction, spurting fire.  And
although you typical trooper isn't magnetic, it was more than big enough
to crush him.  I don't see how you could use it anywhere near friendly
forces, though.