The Husky VMMD (Vehicle-Mounted Mine Detection) is a configurable counter-IED MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected)

vehicle A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles ( motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles ( trains, trams ...

, developed by South African-based DCD Protected Mobility and American C-IED company Critical Solutions International. Designed for use in

route clearance Route clearance is a routine part of counter-IED efforts performed by military forces around the world. The purpose of route clearance is to secure an important route and render it for safe transport. This mission relies on the use of Sapper and ...

and

demining Demining or mine clearance is the process of removing land mines from an area. In military operations, the object is to rapidly clear a path through a minefield, and this is often done with devices such as mine plows and blast waves. By contr ...

operations, the Husky is equipped with a variety of

technologies Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

and features to detect explosive devices and survive blast damage. The Husky VMMD detects and identifies

land mines A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...

and improvised explosive devices (

IEDs An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...

) using a range of

sensors A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends ...

and imaging systems. Additionally, the Husky is equipped with a variety of

countermeasures A countermeasure is a measure or action taken to counter or offset another one. As a general concept, it implies precision and is any technological or tactical solution or system designed to prevent an undesirable outcome in the process. The fi ...

, such as jamming systems and smoke generators that can be used to neutralize or disrupt IEDs. The Husky VMMD's armor is specifically engineered to withstand the effects of

and IEDs, while the vehicle's suspension system enables it to navigate rough

terrain Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin w ...

without compromising the crew's safety.

Development

''The Husky traces'' its lineage to the Pookie, a

Rhodesian Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of So ...

mine clearance vehicle. Originally used as the lead element of a mine removal convoy, the Husky was employed as part of the Chubby mine detection system. The early Chubby system comprised a lead detection vehicle (the

Meerkat MeerKAT, originally the Karoo Array Telescope, is a radio telescope consisting of 64 antennas in the Meerkat National Park, in the Northern Cape of South Africa. In 2003, South Africa submitted an expression of interest to host the Square K ...

), a second proofing vehicle (the Husky) towing a mine detonation trailer, and a third vehicle carrying spare parts for expedient blast repair. The Husky was initially deployed in the 1970s. During the

South African Border War The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes denoted in South Africa as the Angolan Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Angol ...

, the South African Defense Force used the Husky extensively to clear mines from military convoy routes in

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and e ...

and

Angola , national_anthem = "Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

. In the mid-1990s, DCD Group and Critical Solutions International planned to bring the technology to the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...

and underwent a two-year foreign comparative test program with the

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...

and follow-on modifications and testing. In 1997, CSI was directed to produce and deliver production systems under the U.S. Army Interim Vehicle Mounted Mine Detection Program. Over the next twenty years, the Husky underwent several iterations and upgrades. U.S. military clearance units currently train on and employ Husky vehicles as detection assets and clearance vehicles.

Design

The Husky is part of a class of MRAP vehicles developed from South African blast protection designs. The sharp

V-hull The V-hull is a type of vehicle armor design used on wheeled armored personnel carriers (APCs), infantry mobility vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and MRAPs. The design originated in the 1970s with vehicles such as the iconic Cassp ...

of the Husky reduces blast effect by increasing ground clearance and standoff from the blast, increasing structural hull rigidity, and diverting blast energy and fragmentation away from the platform and its occupants. The Husky is designed to break apart in a blast event, allowing energy to transfer to the detachable front and rear modules rather than the critical components of the vehicle or the occupants located in the cab. Its three main components (a center cab with front and rear wheel modules) are connected by shear pins. Critical components are engineered to break apart predictably, preventing catastrophic damage and enabling users to quickly replace modules on site. This approach increases the lifespan of the vehicle and limits the need for recovery teams to evacuate the vehicle to maintenance facilities. The cabin of the Husky is fitted with

bulletproof glass Bulletproof glass, ballistic glass, transparent armor, or bullet-resistant glass is a strong and optically transparent material that is particularly resistant to penetration by projectiles. Like any other material, it is not completely impenetr ...

windows. There is an entry hatch on the roof. The Husky Mk III and 2G are powered by a Mercedes-Benz OM906LA turbo diesel engine coupled with an

Allison Transmission Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, ...

2500 SP 5-speed

automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gea ...

. It can reach a maximum speed of 72 km/h and has a range of 350 km.

Variants

Husky Mk I

First Husky production model. Replaced by Husky Mk II.

Husky Mk II

Second Husky model. Replaced by Husky Mk III.

Husky Mk III

Modern single-occupant Husky model. The platform is integrated with pulse induction metal detector panels and overpass tires that enable operators to regulate tire air pressure in order to reduce the risk of initiating land mines without causing detonation. The Mk III, like other Husky models, is engineered in a modular, frangible configuration.

Husky 2G

Project Type

- Mine clearance vehicle

Manufacturer

- DCD Protected Mobility

Crew

- Two

Operating Weight

- 9,200kg Husky 2G is a two-seat variant of Husky MK III vehicle mounted mine detector (VMMD) designed and manufactured by South African fir
DCD Protected Mobility
(DCD PM). Equipped with a number of

, the

is ideally suited for

mine-clearing Demining or mine clearance is the process of removing land mines from an area. In military operations, the object is to rapidly clear a path through a minefield, and this is often done with devices such as mine plows and blast waves. By contra ...

operations including detection, identification and destruction of

improvised explosive devices An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...

(IED),

landmines A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...

and other

explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...

materials. Development of the Husky 2G was prompted by the need to conduct longer missions and employ multiple detection systems. The Husky 2G was designed with added high sensitivity detectors,

ground-penetrating radar Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a Geophysics, geophysical method that uses radar pulses to Geophysical imaging, image the subsurface. It is a non-intrusive method of surveying the sub-surface to investigate underground utilities such as concrete, ...

, video optics suites, and

remote weapon stations Remote may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Remote'' (1993 film), a 1993 movie * ''Remote'' (2004 film), a Tamil-language action drama film * ''Remote'' (album), a 1988 album by Hue & Cry * Remote (band), ambient chillout band * ' ...

. These additional components required a second operator to manage the additional workload, hence the required two occupants.

Equipment

The Husky is capable of carrying the following equipment and payloads: *

Autonomous vehicle Vehicular automation involves the use of mechatronics, artificial intelligence, and multi-agent systems to assist the operator of a vehicle (car, aircraft, watercraft, or otherwise).Hu, J.; Bhowmick, P.; Lanzon, A.,Group Coordinated Control o ...

upgrades *

Rocket-propelled grenade A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is a shoulder-fired missile weapon that launches rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. Most RPGs can be carried by an individual soldier, and are frequently used as anti-tank weapons. These warheads are ...

armor and netting *

Smoke grenade Smoke grenades used at demonstrations in Paris, 2008 upBritish L83A1 Smoke Grenade manufactured in May 2008. This grenade has already been used. A smoke grenade is a canister-type grenade used as a signaling device, target or landing zone mark ...

launchers *

Electronic countermeasure An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting info ...

s *

Remote weapon station A remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), or remote weapon station (RWS), also known as a remote weapon system (RWS), is a remotely operated weaponized system often equipped with fire-control system for light and medium-caliber weapons which can ...

Metal detectors A metal detector is an instrument that detects the nearby presence of metal. Metal detectors are useful for finding metal objects on the surface, underground, and under water. The unit itself, consist of a control box, and an adjustable shaft, ...

Ground-penetrating radar Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a Geophysics, geophysical method that uses radar pulses to Geophysical imaging, image the subsurface. It is a non-intrusive method of surveying the sub-surface to investigate underground utilities such as concrete, ...

* Nonlinear junction detectors * Gunfire detectors * Robotic arms * Blowers * Water diggers * Thermal cameras * Optics suite * Mine-clearing line charges * Mine rollers * Rhino Passive Infrared Defeat System * Mine plows * Proofing rollers *

Electrostatic discharge Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a sudden and momentary flow of electric current between two electrically charged objects caused by contact, an electrical short or dielectric breakdown. A buildup of static electricity can be caused by tribochar ...

*Red Pack repair kit

Operators

Husky Mk III

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases acr ...

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...

* South African Defense Force *

Kenyan Army The Kenya Army is the land arm of the Kenya Defence Forces. History The origin of the present day Kenya Army lie with the British Army's King's African Rifles. In the last quarter of the 19th Century the British began actively enforcing the ab ...

Husky 2G

Islamic Republic of Iran Army , founded = , current_form = (Islamic Republic) , disbanded = , branches = , headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran , website = , commander-in-chief = Maj. Ge ...

Iraqi Army The Iraqi Ground Forces ( Arabic: القوات البرية العراقية), or the Iraqi Army ( Arabic: الجيش العراقي), is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was known as the Royal Iraqi Army up until the co ...

Turkish Army The Turkish Land Forces ( tr, Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), or Turkish Army (Turkish: ), is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the ...

Spanish Army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century. The ...

* Royal Saudi Land Forces * Egyptian Army *

Jordanian Army The Royal Jordanian Army (Arabic: القوّات البرية الاردنيّة; ) is the ground force branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). It draws its origins from units such as the Arab Legion, formed in the British Mandate of Transj ...

Latvian Army The Latvian Land Forces ( lv, Sauszemes spēki, SzS) together with the Latvian National Guard form the land warfare branch of the Latvian National Armed Forces. Since 2007, land forces are organized as a fully professional standing army. Mission ...

(limited fielding in support of Operation Enduring Freedom)

Recognitions

The Husky was listed on the U.S. Army’s Top Ten inventions of 2010.David McNally, RDECOM
"Army Announces Top 10 Greatest Inventions of 2010"
''Militaryspot.com'', 12 September 2011

References

* *

External links

Critical Solutions International (CSI)Soldier Armed magazine article
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Military engineering vehicles Cold War military equipment of South Africa Mine warfare countermeasures Military vehicles of the United States Military vehicles of South Africa Bomb disposal Military vehicles introduced in the 1970s