SA land-mine detector gets top recognition

Locally made Husky 2G Vehicle Mounted Mine Detector (VMMD) has been named one of the top 10 greatest military inventions by the United States Army, proving that South Africa’s engineering ranks among the best in the world.

The recent announcement was made in Washington, DC at the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army.

A ceremony held during the meeting paid tribute to inventions that have improved the lives of soldiers around the world.

Scott Fish, US army chief scientist, commended the inventions and the brains behind them, saying: “They are all driven by a deep desire to make things better, and are not satisfied with a concept of Utopia. They go beyond that: they make something real and they make it happen now.”

He compared the inventions to Apple® products for their simplicity and ease of use, paying homage to Apple, Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs, who recently passed away.

Addressing delegates at the ceremony, Heidi Shyu, acting assistant secretary of the US Army, said: “Anything you do to innovate and help our soldiers is incredibly appreciated by the folks who are deployed. I am so impressed. Thank you for what you do for our soldiers.”

Unique detection system

The VMMD was designed and developed by DCD-DORBYL’s Rolling Stock and Defence Division.

The two-seater vehicle is used to detect and clear the field of mines before army and civilian personnel move in.

The Husky 2G is a derivative of the single-seater Husky Mark III, which has been used in combat since the early 1980s. It has helped clear mines in the Balkans, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

According to DCD-DORBYL’s defence division, the VMMD stands out from other mine-detection systems due to its ability to pass over pressure-fused anti-vehicle land mines without detonating them.

The system is so durable that, in the event of a mine being detonated, any damage can be repaired within two hours.

Nearly 400 of these South African-made systems have been used throughout the world in combat situations.

Top 10 winners

Nominations for the best inventions were put forward by veteran combat soldiers.

In addition to the Husky 2G, they included: the 5.56mm M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round; 40mm Infrared Illuminant Cartridge; Green Eyes – Escalation of Force Kit Integration with the Crows System; Jackal Explosive Hazard Pre-Detonation System; M240L 7.62mm Lightweight Medium Machine Gun; mCare Project; Dismounted Mortar Fire Control System; RG-31 Robot Deployment System; and the Soldier Wearable Integrated Power Equipment System.

The Enhanced Performance Round is a modified type of bullet used by US forces in Afghanistan, which has a larger steel penetrator on its tip.

The Infrared Illuminant Cartridge makes it possible to track enemy troops more effectively at night.

The Green Eyes technology disturbs an individual’s vision, making driving or aiming a weapon impossible.

The Lightweight Medium Machine Gun is a less bulky derivative of the existing M240B machine gun.

Ray Maota

MediaClubSouthAfrica.com