M58 MICLIC explained

The M58 Mine Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC) is a rocket-projected mine-clearing line charge used to provide a "close-in" demining capability for maneuver forces of the United States Army and Marine Corps.[1] [2] [3]

First fielded in 1988 with United States Army Europe,[4] the MICLIC is a cable fitted with explosive charges. Drawn by a rocket into a minefield, the cable lands in a straight line and detonates, destroying conventionally fuzed land mines in a lane eight meters wide and 100 meters long (8.75 yards by 109 yards).[5]

Technical specification

The MICLIC system consists of an M353 3½ ton (3,175 kg)[6] or M200A1 2½ ton (2,268 kg) trailer (or M200 tracked trailer) chassis, a launcher assembly, an M147 firing kit, an M58A3 line charge and a 5-inch (127mm) MK22 Mod 4 rocket.[7] The line charge is 350 feet (107 meters) long and contains 5 pounds (2.27 kg) per linear foot of C-4 explosive. If a MICLIC fails to detonate normally, it can be manually activated by time-delay fuses every few feet along its length.[8] The M147 firing kit can also be mounted on the M60 AVLB and the M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle.

Each M58 MICLIC line charge cost about $83,000 in fiscal 2018.[9]

Use

On September 15, 2022, the United States Department of Defense announced the U.S. would supply mine clearing equipment, including the M58 MICLIC, to Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In November 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a photo of their forces using the M58 MICLIC.[10] On January 17, 2024, a video purported to show a Russian munition dropping from a drone to destroy an M58 MICLIC system and the MaxxPro MRAP that was towing it.[11]

Notes and References

  1. News: Mine-clearing line charge unit . RU2743468C1 . Google Patents . 2021-02-18.
  2. Book: David Bellavia. House to House: A Tale of Modern War. 25 December 2012. Simon and Schuster. 978-1-4711-0587-6. 85–.
  3. Book: MAY . LTC JAMES G. . NEW TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT U.S. ANTI-PERSONNEL LANDMINE POLICY . 1998 . U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE . CARLISLE BARRACKS, PA .
  4. News: Pike . John . 12 September 1998 . M58 Mine Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC) . Federation of American Scientists . Military Analysis Network .
  5. Book: US Army Engineer Center and School of Fort Belvoir. Handbook of employment concepts for mine warfare systems. 1986. U.S. Army Engineer Center and School.
  6. Book: Multiservice Helicopter External Air Transport: Single-point Load Rigging Procedures. 1996. Headquarters, Departments of the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and Department of Transportation.
  7. Book: TM 43-0001-38 Army Ammunition Data Sheets for Demolition Materials. 1992. Headquarters, Department of the Army. 4–45–4–47.
  8. News: ABV to protect combat engineers . John Hoellwarth . June 9, 2007 . Marine Corps Times . 2011-11-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111201020337/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/06/marine_engineer_vehicle_070609 . 2011-12-01 . dead .
  9. News: NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 __________ R E P O R T OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON H.R. 5515 together with ADDITIONAL AND DISSENTING VIEWS . U.S. Government Publishing Office . 15 May 2018.
  10. Web site: Ukraine received M58 MICLIC line charges . 2022-11-07 . Militarnyi . en-US.
  11. Web site: Военный обозреватель . 2024-01-17 . Telegram. https://web.archive.org/web/20240117113000/https://t.me/new_militarycolumnist/126412. 2024-01-17.

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