Chilean Army Procures MineWolf Large-scale Mine Clearance Systems to Clear Minefields along its Borders
The Chilean Army has acquired two MineWolf large-scale mechanical mine clearance machines with support equipment to be used for demining projects along its remote high-altitude borders with Argentina, Peru and Bolivia. Some of the minefields are at altitudes exceeding 5,000 meters. The terrain is characterized by sand, lava, and rocky soil. The Chilean government has been tackling its landmine problem starting around 2002 based on a phased approach: survey and marking, manual clearance, quality control, and stockpile destruction in accordance with international mine action standards.Deployment of the MineWolf machines will be the first time mechanical mine clearance methods are implemented in Chile with the goal of significantly increasing clearance rates. “After a lengthy evaluation process, we decided to purchase systems with a proven track record of mine clearance in difficult terrain, as well as repairability in the field. We also based our decision on the vendor’s ability to support our operations with the necessary hardware, expertise, and in-country support. MineWolf Systems clearly fulfills these criteria.” said Col. Martin Borck Keim, Executive Secretary, Chilean National Commission for Demining. During Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship of 1973-1983, approximately one million mines were laid as a defensive measure. With the restoration of democracy in 1990, and the ratification of the Ottawa Treaty in 2001, the removal of these landmines has become a high priority for the Chilean government. In 2008, funding was made available for the acquisition of mechanical demining equipment to accelerate clearance with the goal of becoming minefree by 2012. |
