Up to 200 Mines per One Controller – Zmiyar Develops Smart Mine Detonators

The Ukrainian company ZMIYAR has developed a remote control system for minefields for the Defense Forces.

Representatives of ZMIYAR told Militarnyi that they have redesigned mine detonators by installing radio communication and additional sensors.

The remote control system consists of a controller and an initiation device.

Up to 200 mines can be connected to the controller simultaneously, each equipped with a fuze. The electronic filling of the mines contains sensors that allow the operator to receive information about events in the minefield via the control station. The operator makes the decision whether to detonate the mine or not, or to allow it to operate autonomously.

When the military receives signals of activity but does not have a visual image from the field, they send a reconnaissance drone to the minefield to assess the situation.

The company’s engineers have adapted the electronics for the PTM-3 and TM-62 anti-tank mines. The company is also working on fuzes for other types of mines.

A set of three autonomous fuzes and a base station costs about $3,500. Each subsequent fuze costs about $300.

The development is planned to be sent to the Ministry of Defense for codification and testing by combat units. The tests are already planned – there is an agreement with the units; as of now, the system has not yet been used in combat.

To counter EW systems, the company used a communication module of its own design and non-standard (custom) frequencies.

According to the company’s representative, work is underway on a solution that will allow the mines to operate for 60 days. The communication radius between the fuze and the end device can reach up to 20 km. In the future, the company plans to add a frequency converter to the system.

The kit is designed for engineer troops, primarily sappers, who will be able to use it for both controlled detonation and remote demining.

The United States is also developing smart mines. In particular, this year, Textron announced that its XM204 Top Attack Munition anti-vehicle smart mines have successfully completed testing by the US Army under an initial production contract.