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General Description 
MINEBULL is produced by Kawasaki and belongs to the Bulldog family, Kawasaki’s humanitarian mine detection and demining system. The components are the MINEDOG, a mine detection system, and the MINEBULL, a mechanical demining machine. The MINEBULL is a four-wheel drive, heavy demining machine equipped with a high- speed digging drum (tiller) at its front. It employs an electronic map of mines detected and marked by the MINEDOG to safely dig up AP mines along with the surrounding dirt. The MINEBULL detonates the mines by smashing them against the digging drum and drum covers. At the same time, buried metal fragments are automatically collected with permanent magnetic pulleys. The digging drum is made of 30mm steel plates. The number of digging bits and their arrangement are designed to prevent unexploded AP mines being carried away with the dirt. The design is based on studies of how AP mines and surrounding dirt move when they encounter the digging drum. The drum takes a 2.23m-wide swath and can penetrate the ground to a depth of 35cm. A clearance rate of 3,345m2/h (at 1.5 km/h) is claimed, but depends on ground conditions. The vehicle body is protected from AT mine shrapnel as follows: • The cabin window is 67mm, bullet- and dust-proof glass; • The cabin is armoured with a 16mm steel plate on the front and a 12mm steel plate on the side; • The engine room access door is a composite plate made of iron and Zylon, a synthetic fibre with outstanding thermal properties that is ten times stronger (static strength) than iron; • The engine room, fuel tank, tyres and joints are armoured with 12mm steel plating protection. The MINEBULL’s metal fragment collection system uses strong magnetic pulleys to collect metal fragments into a bucket while the dirt mixed with the metal fragments is removed via a conveyer belt after detonation. The system sweeps up nearly 100% of all exploded shrapnel including small metal fragments in the soil. The machine is normally remotely controlled but also allows for manned operation. It is equipped with two rescue winches at the rear of its chassis capable of towing 12 tons each (total 24 tons) in case of sticking or mechanical failure of the driving system. For long-distances, the MINEBULL can be transported on a low-bed trailer, but it can be self-driven for site changes over short and medium distances with a speed up to 20km/h. Test and Evaluation tests reports are available under "Related Reports & Publications" in the right-hand column. Machine Category Mine Clearance Machine Mine Clearance Machine Tiller systems Machine weight Heavy (> 20’0000 kg) Working methodology/Specifications MINEBULL’s digging drum rotates anti-clockwise to dig up AP mines and the intercepting bits (chisels) implanted inside the drum cover destroy those mines uncrushed by drum. The drum’s rotation speed can be varied depending on the minefield’s soil characteristics from 60rpm (Low First) to 200 rpm (High Third). Maximum clearing depth is 35cm but usually the depth is set at 30cm or 20cm and such depths are maintained automatically by digging depth sensors. The digging drum is made of 30mm steel plate and has 249 bits, while the drum cover has 81 intercepting bits. Engine, fuel and oil The engine is a 243 kw (330 hp) Nissan diesel having and the driving system has hydrostatic transmission for ultra-low speed traction. Fuel capacity is 420 litres. Fuel consumption depends on the particular site conditions but during the test trials mentioned below the fuel consumption varied from 21.3 to 47.3 litres per hour. Factory Support The engine is a 243 kw (330 hp) Nissan diesel having and the driving system has hydrostatic transmission for ultra-low speed traction. Fuel capacity is 420 litres. Fuel consumption depends on the particular site conditions but during the testtest Machines in use to date The first MINEBULL was delivered to Afghanistan in August 2007 and started operation in September 2007. Maintenance And Support Kawasaki recommend employing at least two operators and one engineer (with some technicians in support) to operate the MINEBULL. It is also recommended to have access to heavy construction machinery maintenance shop. Federal Trading Corp., with its main factory in Karachi, Pakistan, and branches in Pakistan and Kabul, Afghanistan, has been appointed as a service centre for maintenance and operation support to MINEBULL. Test And Evaluation tests reports are available under "Related Reports & Publications" in the right-hand column. Reported limitations and strengths The system is not designed for clearanceclearance Complete with the tiller attachment, the system weighs 34 tonnes. For transport over longer distances, a low loader is required.
Strengths The additional fragments collection system. GPS available for mapping. Suitable for operating in various terrains (see testtest Able to detonate or neutraliseneutralise
Record updated on: 15 May 2012
Record id: 536
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Funding for these pages has been provided by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.
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Related Reports and Publications
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