The Indian Army has inducted the Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment Mark-II (MMME Mk-II), which enables faster and more efficient marking and fencing of minefields, with minimal human involvement. Developed by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the system will prove to be a significant help for infantry operations.
The Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment Mark-II (MMME Mk-II), created by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in association with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has been introduced by the Indian Army. With little assistance from humans, the system is intended to rapidly mark and fence minefields.
BEML, a public sector defence company, said the induction was a key step towards strengthening India's self-reliance in defence production.
"This milestone reflects the collaborative strength of the Armed Forces, DRDO, and BEML in propelling indigenous innovation under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision," the company said in an official statement.
The system has been developed by DRDO's Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) [R&DE(E)], Pune, and is manufactured by BEML. Sanjay Som, Director (Defence and Mining & Construction) at BEML Ltd., attended the induction ceremony, where he interacted with senior officials, including Engineer-in-Chief Lt Gen Arvind Walia, AVSM, DRDO scientists, and Indian Army officers.
"BEML Ltd. proudly marked its contribution to national defence with the induction of the Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment Mark-II (MMME Mk-II) into the Indian Army," the company added.
"MMME has been designed to operate cross-country with a complete load of stores and carry out marking of minefields with minimal time and manpower employment. The equipment is based on an in-service High Mobility Vehicle having advanced mechanical and electrical systems, which will reduce the timings for minefield marking during operations and will enhance the operational capability of the Indian Army,” stated the Defence Ministry of India.
Equipment’s specifications -
Built on a TATRA 6x6 chassis, the system can place pickets at intervals ranging from 10 to 35 metres. It automatically unspools yellow polypropylene ropes from ten spools, each carrying 1.5 km of rope.
The system includes mechanical, electrical, electronic, and pneumatic components integrated into a container mounted on the vehicle. The platform is capable of operating in both Punjab's plains and the deserts of Rajasthan, in temperatures ranging from zero to 45 degrees Celsius. A four-member crew can deploy up to 500 pickets in one run, fencing about 1.2 kilometres per hour depending on the terrain.
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