New aid package for Ukraine includes 'suitcase minefield' system
The new military aid package for Ukraine includes an unusual weapon—the Pentagon has confirmed the delivery of the M131 MOPMS system. This system is an automatically deployed minefield contained in a suitcase. We explain how this equipment works.
6:52 PM EST, December 3, 2024
Alongside artillery, mines are among the most effective types of weaponry used during the war in Ukraine. The new tranche of American aid includes equipment that allows for the remote creation of minefields.
The Pentagon agreed to deliver M692/M731 ADAM artillery ammunition, which enables remote mining, the mobile M136 Volcano mine-laying system, which operates similarly to the Polish Baobab-K system, and the portable M131 MOPMS set, which allows for the remote creation of a minefield.
While remote mining with artillery is not unusual, and mobile remote mining systems are common, the M131 MOPMS set stands out for both its operating method and its unusual form.
M131 MOPMS – a suitcase with a minefield
The M131 MOPMS (Modular Pack Mine System) is a complete remote mine-laying system housed in a container weighing about 121 pounds and resembling a suitcase. It is equipped with retractable transport handles, allowing for easy carrying by soldiers. Inside, apart from the control system, there are 21 anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.
Creating a minefield barrier involves placing the "suitcase" on the ground and remotely initiating the launch of mines, which are scattered around the container. Two minutes after launching, the fuzes activate, and a minefield measuring approximately 115 by 230 feet is ready for operation.
Thus, after deploying the M131 MOPMS containers, a minefield with a specific mode of operation can be created and activated in moments—the mines may detonate upon contact or with a delay. They are also equipped with a self-destructor, so they pose no threat after the end of hostilities.
