Anti-handling device

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The typical configuration of anti-handling devices used with anti-tank landmines. The upper diagram shows a pull fuze inserted into a secondary fuze well in the side of the mine, as well as a pressure release/anti-lifting device on the bottom of the mine.
The lower diagram shows two anti-tank landmines connected by a cord attached to the upper mine's carrying handle. The cord is attached to a pull fuze installed in a secondary fuze well in the bottom mine.

An Anti-handling device is a part of attachment of a Landmine to prevent the tampering with the mines. These devices serve two military purposes:

To prevent the mine's capture and reuse by the enemy
To slow mine clearing operations to make the mine field a more effective barrier

However, these devices also increase the impact of mines on the civilian population, as anti-tank mines equipped with this technology can easily be triggered by humans. Additionally, they add to the difficulty and cost of post-conflict clearing operations due to the inherent dangers of tampering with them.

1 Classes of anti-handling devices
2 Types of anti-handling fuzes
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Classes of anti-handling devices

US Army field manual FM 20-32 classifies four classes of anti-handling devices:

Anti-lifting devices. A device which initiates an explosion when a protected mine is lifted or pulled out of its hole.
Anti-disturbance device. A device which initiates an explosion when a protected mine is disturbed or shaken.
Anti-defuzing device. A device which initiates an explosion when an attempt is made to remove a fuze from a protected mine.
Anti-disarming device. A device which initiates an explosion when an attempting is made to set the arming mechanism of a mine to safe.

[edit] Types of anti-handling fuzes

The different classes of anti-handling devices are normally created using a variety of fuzes. This is a list of the types of fuzes used as anti-handling devices:

Pull fuzes — these are typically installed in secondary fuze wells on the sides or bottom of mines. The fuze is normally connected to a hidden wire attached to the ground, so when that the mine is moved or disturbed tension is applied to the wire, activating the fuze and detonating the mine.
Anti-lifting fuzes — these are typically installed on the bottom of mines, and trigger the mine when the mine is lifted and the pressure on the fuze is reduced.
Tilt switches — these are typically fuzes installed inside the mine, that trigger the mine if it tilts beyond a certain angle.
Anti-mine detector fuzes — developed during the Second World War to detect the characteristic signals used by electronic mine detectors.
Electronic fuzes — modern electronic fuzes may incorperate anti-handling features. These fuzes typically incorperate a number of sensors including seismic sensors and tilt switches. Potentially these fuzes can discriminate between types of mine clearing operation and can resist activation by clearing devices such as mine flails, plows, or explosives, while still detonating when handled by mine clearing teams.