Robot Mine Smasher

A reader writes " Robotsotre had a link to a Japanese story about a new landmine-hunting robot that covers the mine with a protective dome and then smashes it with a high-velocity hydraulic piston. The company's called Cos Co, the robot is 3.5m long, and the cost about $75K (USD). Robot mine hunter does job quietly http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20020213wo71.htm Not that I know much about landmines, but does this mean the detonator cap is smashed without detonating? Or separated from the explosives before it can?" As this article also points out, this will help remove mines in Afghanistan, which after 20 years of war has more then a few around.

Comments

HUH?!

[BLKMGK]

Only a few places where they can be used legitimately? Try WAR! Have we gotten so damned PC that we're squeemish about war? What's next, we don't actually kill our enemies we put them in cushy prisons instead? Oh wait, we do that don't we?

Sorry, but if we're at WAR with enemies then lay mines if that's what you must do to stop an opposing force. If a civilian gets killed then that really sux but I'd prefer a civilian than one of our soldiers.

After the war when the mines must be removed then by all means it's nice to have maps but if they were laid in haste then we'll deal with that when the time comes. Does that suck for places like Afghanistan? Yes, it does but we can't all live in a fluffy bunny world where everyone is afraid to offend much less hurt an enemy (rolleyes). In a WAR I can think of LOT'S of proper places to put mines....