The_Soviet_Army_troops_organization_and_equi

DESCRIPTION:

The MDK-2M high-speed ditching machine is based on t h e tracked AT-T artillery tractor chassis. The system mounts a rotary excavator on the rear and a bulldozer blade on the front.

CAPABILITIES:

The MDK-2M can dig field positions, antitank ditches, and firing positions. Depending on soil conditions, it can excavate 120 to 300 cubic meters of soil per hour. The system can dig a 3.5-m-deep and 3.5-m-wide ditch with multiple passes. The MDK-2M has a filtration system for operation in a contaminated environment.

LIMITATIONS:

The MDK-2M has relatively slow speed and limited cross-country mobility. More than one pass

may be necessary to dig the trench to the desired depth. The MDK-2M cannot excavate in rocky terrain or i n frozen soil. It cannot be airlifted by helicopter or be airdropped. It is vulnerable to small arms fire.

REMARKS:

Introduced in 1965, the MDK-2M is now standard equipment i n Soviet a n d Warsaw Pact engineer units. I t is organic to t h e technical company of the engineer battalion in an MRD or TD, and is also organic to the technical platoon of the engineer company in a n MRR or TR. The MDK-2M's production ended in 1979. The newer MDK-3 is replacing it.

DESCRIPTION:

Since 1982, the MDK-3 has begun to replace the MDK-2M. The MDK-3 has the chassis of the MT-T tracked artillery tractor, with a rotary excavator on the rear and a bulldozer blade on the front.

CAPABILITIES:

The MDK-3 can dig antitank ditches, vehicle

positions, and fighting positions. Its hourly excavation rate is 400 to 500 cubic meters per hour. The system can dig ditches 3.5 meters wide by 1.7 meters deep in a single pass.

REMARKS:

The MDK-3 cannot be airlifted by helicopter or airdropped.

DESCRIPTION:

The BTM-3 is the latest in a series of BTM vehicles based on the chassis of the AT-T tracked artillery tractor. The system mounts a circular excavator on the rear.

The BTM-3 can dig personnel trenches, antitank ditches, and vehicle positions. Its hourly excavation rate is 220 to 600 cubic meters per hour. The system can dig ditches 0.6 meters wide by 1.5 meters deep.

LIMITATIONS:

The system cannot be airlifted by helicopter or airdropped. It has neither armor nor NBC protection for the crew. The lack of a bulldozer blade limits the system's utility.

REMARKS:

The BTM-3's earlier versions are now obsolete. Along with t h e MDK-2M or MDK-3 ditching machines, any versions may be present in the technical company of the engineer battalion in a MRD or TD. They may also serve in the technical platoon of the engineer company in a MRR or TR.

DESCRIPTION:

The PZM-2 ditching machine is based on the wheeled T-150K tractor chassis. It has a bulldozer blade mounted on the front and a ladder-type excavator mounted on the rear.

CAPABILITIES:

The PZM-2 can dig antitank ditches, personnel and communications trenches, and vehicle positions. It can dig 80 to 250 cubic meters per hour. The system can dig ditches 0.8 meters wide by 1.5 meters deep on a single pass. With multiple

passes, it can create ditches up to 3.5 meters wide. The PZM-2 can be carried by either helicopter or

transport aircraft, and it can be airdropped. I t has an on board filtration system. It can operate

in a contaminated environment for short periods of time.

LIMITATIONS:

The PZM is without significant armor, being essentially a modification of an agricultural tractor. It is vulnerable to small arms fire.

DESCRIPTION:

The TMK-2 trenching machine is a wheeled system based on t h e KZKT-538D tractor. The system mounts a circular excavator on the rear and a light bulldozer blade on the front.

CAPABILITIES:

The TMK-2 can dig i n personnel, communi- c a t i o n s m e a n s , a n d vehicles. I t s secondary missions include road maintenance, snow plowing,

river bank preparation, and NBC decontamination. The hourly capacity of the TMK-2 is 200 to 600 cubic meters per hour, depending on the type of soil. T h e trench created by the TMK-2 is 1.5 meters deep and 1.1 meters wide. The TMK-2 has NBC detection devices and protection systems.

LZMITATIONS:

The TMK-2 is vulnerable to small arms fire.

DESCRIPTION:

The PMN is a small, round, flat, box-shaped antipersonnel mine. Its duroplastic casing has a

side hole for the firing mechanism and primer charge. The top half of the mine case is covered by a rubber sheet secured by a metal clasp. The mine contains 237 grams of cast TNT.

CAPABILITIES:

Pressure on the top of the case activates the P M N . T h i s pressure releases a spring-loaded striker which hits the percussion cap capsule, setting off the main charge. Though rather small, the P M N can cause serious injury to foot or leg when stepped on.

When the P M N is emplaced, a 20-minute delayaction spring mechanism arms the pressure-plate fuzing system. The method of arming makes the mine extremely sensitive when emplaced. The mine cannot be disarmed.

REMARKS:

The Soviets introduced the P M N around 1960. It has been employed on the East German border a s well a s i n Vietnam. The PMN can be used singly or in groups, used in mixed or homogeneous

minefields, and surface-laid or buried. It can be manually emplaced or surface-laid with the aid of

chutes from trucks, APCs, or helicopters.

DESCRIPTION:

The PMD-6M is a wooden box with a hinged lid, a block of TNT, and a pull fuze. The hinged lid serves as a pressure plate. The box is large enough to contain a 200-gram charge of TNT.

CAPABILITIES:

When pressure forces the lid down, the safety pin is withdrawn from the fuze, and the TNT ex-

plodes. The PMD-6M is a direct-contact mine. It produces casualties by blast overpressure.

REMARKS:

The PMD mines were first introduced around 1939. PMN mines have replaced them for normal usage. However, they frequently appear in Third World countries, since they are easily fabricated by unskilled personnel.

DESCRIPTION:

The POMZ-ZM antipersonnel stake mine consists of a cylindrical, segmented cast iron body (similar to that of a hand grenade) filled with TNT a n d mounted on a stake . T h e original POMZ-2 had six rows of fragments; the modified POMZ-2M, introduced after World War II , has only five rows.

CAPABILITIES:

The stake is placed in the ground so that the

mine sits not more than 30 millimeters above the ground. The mines normally are laid in clusters of at least four mines. A trip wire runs from the fir- ing-pin retaining pin. When this wire is pulled and the remaining pin withdrawn, the mine explodes.

REMARKS:

The POMZ-2 proved very effective in World War I I . The modified POMZ-2M is still in the active inventory.