One of the results of armed conflicts is a large amount of various ammunition left on the former battlefields and posing a great danger. The detection and neutralization of the remaining mines and shells is carried out by various methods, including using special equipment. At the end of July, acceptance tests of a new robotic complex designed for demining hazardous areas started in the Chechen Republic.
The Uran-6 multifunctional robotic demining complex was developed at JSC 76 UPTK. The vehicle is designed to neutralize mines and other ammunition planted by the enemy or remaining after battles. The Sunzhensky and Vedensky districts of the Chechen Republic, where the vehicle with tail number 001 was sent at the beginning of July, became the platform for testing the new development. With the help of a new robotic complex, it was supposed to mine the mountain range in the Vedeno region. The relief of this area is extremely difficult and does not allow the use of other technical means. The Uran-6 complex, in turn, was considered a convenient means of demining, which can effectively perform the assigned tasks in difficult conditions.
The Uran-6 demining complex is a light armored vehicle with remote control and demining systems. Depending on the trawling equipment used, the machine weighs 6-7 tons. The engine delivers a power-to-weight ratio of up to 32 hp / t. A tracked vehicle with a height of about 1.4 m is capable of climbing a wall up to 1.2 m high.
The Uran-6 vehicle is controlled via a radio channel using a remote control. The operator of the complex is located at a safe distance and can work at a distance of up to 1000 m from the machine. To control the actions of the complex, the operator can use four video cameras installed on the Uran-6 vehicle and transmitting a signal to the control panel. The control panel has a relatively small dimensions and is transported in a special container-knapsack. It is equipped with a monitor and a set of controls.
The Uran-6 complex demonstrated by the Ministry of Defense is equipped with a striking trawl. A dozer blade and a shaft with chains are mounted on the lifting frame, at the ends of which there are strikers. There are two road wheels at the bottom of the trawl. During the operation of the trawl, the shaft rotates and, under the action of centrifugal force, the strikers on the chains begin to move in a circle. They literally plow the ground and, if an explosive device is found, initiate its detonation.
When the trawl axis rotates at a speed of 600 rpm, effective trawling of soil to a depth of 35 cm is ensured. Moving at a speed of about 3 km / h, the Uran-6 robotic complex is capable of clearing mines up to 15 hectares per day. The efficiency of work is ensured at the level of 98%. According to calculations, a striking trawl and a demining machine must withstand undermining up to 60 kg of TNT. The Uran-6 is protected from fragments and shock waves of less powerful ammunition by a bulldozer blade installed in the rear of the trawl.
According to some reports, the Uran-6 vehicle carries not only a striking trawl, but also equipment for detecting explosive devices. The equipment of the complex allows detecting dangerous objects, and then determining their type. Thus, depending on the type of ammunition detected, the operator of the complex can choose the most effective and safe method of neutralization.
The set of robotic demining complex includes several removable trawls and bulldozer dumps of various designs. This ensures the performance of various tasks, as well as the ability to quickly return the machine to service after the destruction of one of the trawls during operation.
The relatively small dimensions and weight of the Uran-6 robotic complex provide it with high mobility. If necessary, the car, control panel and other elements of the complex can be transported both by road and by rail or aviation. For example, in order to clear mines in the Vedeno region of the Chechen Republic, the complex had to be delivered to the desired area using a Mi-26 helicopter.
Tests of the Uran-6 complex in real conditions started on 23 July. Until the end of August, according to official data from the Ministry of Defense, the remotely controlled vehicle has checked about 800 thousand square meters. meters of agricultural land. During this inspection, 50 explosive devices were destroyed. It is reported that there were no failures or breakdowns during operation.
According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, along with the tests of the Uran-6 complex in the Chechen Republic, similar events were to be carried out at the training grounds of the Southern Military District. Including the "Chechen" complex, it was planned to use four demining machines in the tests. Such tests in different weather conditions and in different terrain were supposed to show the real potential of the new development.
Tests of the robotic demining complex "Uran-6" should be completed as soon as possible. The test results will determine the further fate of the original project. If the collected information about the operation of the complex suits the military, then soon the construction of serial Uran-6 vehicles and their delivery to the troops will begin. According to some reports, the production of this equipment may begin this fall.
