In 2018 the US Army released the illustration of its vision for a networked landmine concept. The service has awarded Textron Systems with a low-rate initial production contract to produce its new XM204 top-attack munition. (US Army)
The US Army awarded Textron Systems with a five-year, low-rate initial production contract to produce its new XM204 top-attack munition, a landmine designed to destroy combat vehicles.
Henry Finneral, the company's senior vice-president for weapon systems, told Janes on 9 August about the new contract inked in late July worth up to USD354 million. So far, he said the army has ordered 117 XM204 units and 38 trainers for delivery between July and late September 2023. Each subsequent order could range from 25 to 400-plus weapons, Finneral added.
This new weapon is part of the army's plan to replace its Family of Scatterable Mines (FASCAM), which it deems to be ‘nearing their end of useful life'. This replacement plan includes the XM204 top-attack munition and a future bottom-attack munition. Both would eventually be tied together to form a ‘full network capability'.
For the top-attack capability, in its current configuration, soldiers hand-emplace each XM204 “module” either alone or with others in a pattern based on battlefield plans, Finneral said. Each of these dispensing modules weighs approximately 36 kg, is 61×61 cm in size, includes four common anti-vehicle munitions (CAVMs), various sensors, a Doppler radar, and a self-destruct mechanism, he added.
More specifically, the landmine uses acoustic microphones to detect the audible signatures of approaching ‘heavy' wheeled and tracked vehicles, and the radar helps determine where that vehicle is located.
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