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This facility enables countermine developers to test emerging technologies in a realistic environment. Experimental data gathered during testing provides valuable information and insight to the developers to improve their devices.
This project for the Range complex will be in limited operation by September 2001. Construction of a gravel pad approximately 500 meters long, 100 meters wide, and a minimum depth of 18". Most of this material will be bank-run gravel. There will be no excavation. The material is placed directly on top of the existing terrain at the site. The surface is representative of unimproved roads throughout the world. After all of the material has been placed, lanes will be designated to allow ease of transportability for mine detection equipment. The purpose of the 18" depth is to assure that mines emplaced for testing will not encroach on the natural material in the selected area. Mines are typically buried anywhere from just under the surface (1-2 inches), or to a maximum depth of approximately 6 inches. The various mines that will be used during operation of this facility will be modified to remove the explosive initiating system, but will retain as many of the land mine features as possible. As mentioned above, no actual detonations of the mines is proposed at this site. The fuses and booster will be removed and the main explosive charge will remain. This provides for the safety of the personnel involved in testing and training since without the sometimes-sensitive initiating devices, detonation is at best a very remote possibility. However, with the mine charge being left intact as explosive, this allows the use of heat, chemical, and mass determinations from high technology sensing systems, as well as the metal and plastic cases for conventional detectors.
Bank run gravel pad .45 meter in depth about 30,000 m2
Crusher run gravel .45 meter in depth for about 10,000 m2.
Communications, security, explosive capability.
Office and shop area at H field associated with I Field.
High speed internet, phone, air conditioned offices, extensive shop bays, tool crib, fuel, etc.
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