Explosives and engineering ammunition of the armed forces. Engineering ammunition: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Types of aviation munitions

Over the past decades, large-scale measures have been taken in the armies of developed countries to improve conventional weapons, among which an important place was given to engineering weapons. Engineer weapons include engineering ammunition that creates the best conditions for the effective use of all types of weapons and the protection of friendly troops from modern weapons, making it difficult for the enemy to inflict significant losses on him. The use of engineering munitions in recent local conflicts has shown their growing role in solving operational and tactical tasks.

Remote mining systems appeared in service with the engineering troops, which made it possible to lay mines during the battle and at a considerable distance from the front line - on enemy territory. Engineering munitions also make it possible to create conditions for the troops to quickly overcome enemy minefields. In this case, the most promising volume explosion ammunition is used.

What applies to engineering ammunition? First of all, these are mines for various purposes - anti-tank, anti-personnel, anti-airborne and recently appeared anti-helicopter, as well as demining charges and a number of auxiliary charges. A modern mine is a multifunctional device. Some samples of new mines contain an element of artificial intelligence and have the ability to optimize the selection of a target from several targets and its attack.

Special mention should be made of anti-personnel mines, over the prohibition of which a campaign of states wishing to finally disarm Russia has begun. In connection with the sharp reduction in the size of the Armed Forces, the role of engineering ammunition is increasing. Considering that engineering munitions mainly play a defensive role, our political and military leadership should not disarm, but should contribute to the improvement and increase in the effectiveness of this type of weapon, which is quite reliable and has high performance-cost ratios. The general direction and purpose of the development of engineering weapons is mainly determined by the ability to effectively hit modern and future targets in the interests of the ground forces.

Consider the features and technical characteristics of engineering ammunition.

Until recently, in developed countries, a large number of anti-tank mines of different designs were produced, from the whole variety of existing designs of which three main types can be distinguished: anti-track, anti-bottom and anti-aircraft.

Until recently, anti-track mines were considered the main ones, but they are gradually losing their importance. The main disadvantage of these mines is their limited combat capability: usually only individual units of the tank chassis are disabled. Nevertheless, anti-track mines are still in fairly large quantities in the troops of various countries.

Anti-track mines are designed to take out tracked and wheeled combat and transport vehicles by destroying or damaging, mainly, their undercarriage (tracks, wheels). The installation of these mines is carried out using minelayers or manually (both in the ground and on its surface). Domestic anti-track mines have a cylindrical shape, with the exception of the TM-62D mine, which has the shape of a parallelepiped. The main characteristics of domestic anti-track mines are presented in Table 1, and foreign - in Table 2. Figure I, 2 shows the design schemes of mines TM-46 and TM-62T. Anti-track mines are equipped with mechanical pressure fuses, which are screwed into the central socket of the hull. The pressure on the fuse from the tank caterpillar is transmitted through the pressure cover. Sockets for additional fuses are provided in the side and bottom parts of the mine body. They are used when it is necessary to place mines in an unrecoverable position. Basically, the bodies and fuses of modern mines are made of plastic, so they cannot be detected using induction mine detectors. Due to the tightness of mine hulls, most of them can be used to mine water barriers.

Fig.1. Anti-track mine TM-46:

a) appearance; b) - a section of a mine; 1 - body; 2 - diaphragm; 3 - cover; 4 - MVM fuse; 5 - explosive charge; 6 - intermediate detonator; 7 - cap; 8 - handle.

Fig.2. Anti-track mineTM-62T:

1-case; 2- explosive charge; 3 - ignition cup; 4 - fuse MVP-62; 5 - fuse drummer; 6 - a checker of the ignition glass; 7 - transfer charge fuse; 8 - primer-detonator fuse.

From the point of view of equipment, domestic mines are “omnivorous”. They are equipped with TNT (T), mixtures of A-IX2, MS, TM; alloys TGA-16, TG-40; ammotols A-50, A-80, etc.

The data in Table 1 indicate that most of the presented anti-track mines have significant dimensions and a large mass of explosives.

The most interesting is the English anti-track mine L9AI, which has an elongated shape (its dimensions are 1200x100x80 mm). For the device of an anti-tank minefield, such mines require two times less than mines with a cylindrical body. Elongated mines are more convenient to store and transport. The body of the L9A1 mine is plastic. The pressure cover is located in the upper part of the body and occupies two thirds of its length. To install this mine in the ground or on its surface, a trailed mine layer is used.

In a number of countries, for remote mining systems, several samples of anti-track mines have been developed, designed to destroy the undercarriage of a tank during a contact explosion. These mines are relatively small in size and weight.

Anti-track mine M56 (USA) is a component of the helicopter mining system. The body of the mine has the shape of a half-cylinder and is equipped with four drop-down stabilizers, which reduce the speed of the fall of the mine (mining is carried out from a height of about 30 m). A pressure cover is located on the flat surface of the housing. The electromechanical fuse is located in the end part of the housing and has two stages of protection. The first is removed when the mine exits the cluster installation, the second - one or two minutes after falling to the ground. In the combat position, the mine can be turned with a pressure cover both up and down. The fuse is equipped with a self-destruct element, which causes the mine to explode after a certain time. Mina M56 is carried out in three versions. The mines of the first (main) version are equipped with a single-stroke fuse, the second - with a two-stroke fuse, triggered by repeated impact on the pressure cover. The fuse of the mine of the third option is activated by shaking the body of the mine or changing its position. The mines of the last two options are intended to prevent the enemy from manually removing them from the passages or making passes in the minefield using roller trawls.

West German mines AT-1 are equipped with 110-mm cluster munitions of the Lars MLRS. Each munition contains 8 mines, equipped with a pressure fuse, elements of non-decontamination and self-destruction.

Italy has developed several samples of anti-track mines designed for installation by helicopter systems, including the SB-81 mine, which has a plastic case and an electromechanical fuse with a pressure sensor. In addition to helicopters, this mine can be installed by a mine layer.

Anti-bottom mines, in comparison with anti-track mines, have a significantly higher destructive effect. Exploding under the bottom of the tank and punching it, they hit the crew and disable the armament and equipment of the vehicle. The explosion of such a mine under the caterpillar of the tank disables it. Anti-bottom mines are equipped with a shaped charge or a charge based on the principle of an impact core. Most anti-bottom mines have proximity fuses with magnetic sensors that detect changes in the magnetic field as the tank passes over the mine. Such a fuse is installed at the Swedish anti-bottom mine FFV028. When the tank passes over the mine, electrical voltage is applied to the electric detonator, which initiates the explosion of the overburden, and then (with some time delay) the main charge (the armor penetration of the mine from a distance of 0.5 m is 70 mm). When an overburden charge is triggered, the upper part of the fuse, the cover of the mine body and the camouflage layer of soil are dropped, thereby creating favorable conditions for the formation of an impact core. A typical layout of the anti-bottom mine SB-MV / T is shown in Fig. 3.

Fig.3. The layout of the anti-tank mine SB-MV / T: 1 - magnetic sensor; 2 - power supply; 3 - software element of the mine neutralization device; 4-seismic sensor; 5 - a device for delaying the transfer of the fuse to the firing position; 6 - the lever for transferring the fuse to the firing position; 7 - fuse inclusion element; 8 - main charge; 9 - transitional charge; 10 - detonator; 11 - primer-igniter; 12 - overburden charge.

The French anti-bottom mine HPD is equipped with a fuse with magnetic and seismic sensors. The armor penetration of a mine from a distance of 0.5 m is 70 mm. The mine explodes when both sensors are triggered simultaneously. To drop the hull cover and the camouflage layer of soil in the HPD mine, an additional (overburden) charge was used. The mining of these mines is carried out with the help of a mine layer.

Much attention is paid to the development of anti-bottom mines for remote mining systems. In the United States, for example, spreadable anti-bottom mines have been created using artillery and aircraft mining systems (M70, M73 and BLU-91 / B mines). These mines are small in size and equipped with proximity fuses with magnetic sensors and anti-removal elements. M70 and M73 mines are components of the RAAMS artillery anti-tank mining system (for 155-mm howitzers). The cluster projectiles of this system contain nine M70 or M73 mines, which have shaped charges directed in opposite directions, which does not require special orientation on the ground surface. By design, these mines are the same and differ only in the period of self-destruction.

The West German anti-bottom mine AT-2 is designed to build anti-tank barriers using ground, missile and aircraft mining systems. The mine has a warhead based on the principle of an impact core.

The comparative effectiveness of anti-track and anti-bottom mines is presented in Fig. 4 and in Table 4.

Anti-aircraft mines are designed to destroy tanks and armored vehicles at a distance of several tens of meters. These mines are effective when used to block roads and make barriers in forests and settlements. The striking element of anti-aircraft mines is an impact core or a cumulative anti-tank grenade fired from a guide tube.

The French and British armies are armed with the MAN F1 mine (Fig. 5), which has a warhead (armor penetration of 70 mm from a distance of 40 m) on the principle of an impact core. The body of the mine can be rotated in a vertical plane relative to the support, consisting of two racks and a support ring. The fuse is activated by a 40-meter contact wire.

The American M24 anti-aircraft mine consists of an 88.9 mm grenade (from the M29 anti-tank rifle), a guide pipe, a fuse with a contact sensor made in the form of a tape, a power source and connecting wires. The guide pipe acts as a container in which the mine is stored and transported. Place the unit at a distance of about 30 m from the road or passage. When a tank caterpillar hits the contact strip, the fuse circuit closes and the anti-tank grenade is fired. An improved model of this mine, the M66, has been developed. It differs from the M24 in that. that infrared and seismic sensors are used instead of a contact sensor. The mines are transferred to the combat position after the seismic sensor is triggered. It also includes an infrared target sensor. The grenade is fired as soon as the armored target crosses the emitter-receiver line.

Anti-tank minefields (ATMP) are installed primarily in tank-hazardous directions in front of the front, on the flanks and junctions of subunits, as well as in depth to cover artillery firing positions, command and observation posts and other objects. An anti-tank minefield usually has dimensions along the front of 200 ... 300 m or more, in depth - 60 ... 120 m or more. Mines are installed in three to four rows with a distance between rows of 20 ... 40 m and between mines in a row - 4 ... 6 m for anti-tracked and 9 ... 12 m for anti-bottom mines. The consumption of mines per 1 km of the minefield is 550 ... 750 anti-track or 300 ... 400 anti-bottom mines. On especially important areas, PTMG1 can be installed with an increased consumption of mines: up to 1000 or more anti-track mines or 500 or more anti-bottom mines. Such minefields are commonly referred to as high efficiency minefields.

Fig.5. The layout of the anti-aircraft mine MAN F1:

1-charge; 2 - copper lining; 3 - support ring; 4 - detonator cap; 5 - fuse; 6 - power supply; 7 - transitional charge; 8 - detonator.

Fig.4. Comparative effectiveness of the destructive action of anti-line and anti-caterpillar mines:

1 - zone of action of the anti-bottom mine;

2 - zone of action of an anti-track mine.

Anti-personnel mines vary in design and are mainly of the high-explosive or fragmentation type. The main characteristics of some samples of domestic anti-personnel mines are presented in Table 6. The name MON-50 means that this mine has a fragmentation-directed action. These mines are in service with various countries. Usually, the plastic cases of such mines are made in the form of a curved prism, in which a plastic explosive charge with a large number of fragments is placed. For ease of installation on the ground, there are hinged legs at the bottom of the mine body. The most common way to set the mine in action is to use a regular trip fuse, which is triggered when the target touches the tensioned wire. When a mine explodes, a flat beam of fragments is formed. Directional fragmentation mines are designed to destroy personnel moving in deployed combat formations.

The PMN index means that this mine is an anti-personnel push action. The device of the PMN anti-personnel mine is shown in Fig.6.

Currently, bouncing fragmentation anti-personnel mines are widely used. The operation of such a mine occurs when a walking person touches a tension wire or when pressure is applied to special conductors connected by an explosive chain. As a result of this, an expelling powder charge is ignited, with the help of which a mine is thrown to the height of the chest of a walking person, where an explosion occurs and people in this zone are hit by fragments.

Anti-personnel minefields (APMP) are placed in front of the forward edge and, as a rule, in front of anti-tank minefields in order to cover them. They can be from high-explosive mines, fragmentation mines, as well as a combination of high-explosive and fragmentation mines. PPMP, depending on their purpose, is installed with a length along the front from 30 to 300 m or more, in depth - 10 ... 50 m or more. The number of rows in a minefield is usually two to four, the distance between rows is 5 m or more, between mines in a row is not less than 1 m for high-explosive mines and one or two continuous destruction radii for fragmentation mines. The consumption of mines per 1 km of the minefield is accepted: high-explosive - 2000 ... 3000 pieces; fragmentation - 100 ... 300 pcs. In areas where infantry advances in large masses, PPMPs of increased efficiency can be installed - with double or triple consumption of mines.

Fig.6. Anti-personnel mine PMN:

a) - general view; b) - cut; 1 - body; 2 - shield; 3 - cap; 4 - wire or tape; 5 - stock; 6 - spring; 7 - split ring; 8 - drummer; 9 - mainspring; 10 - thrust sleeve; 11 - safety check; 12 – metal element; 13 - explosive charge; 14 - fuse MD-9; 15 - plug; 16 - cap; 17 - gasket; 18 - metal frame; 19 - string.

Fig.7. Mina PDM-2 on a low stand:

1 - rod; 2 - check; 3 - fuse; 4 - housing with an explosive charge; 5 – lock nut; 6 - bopt; 7 - flange; 8 - upper beam; 9 - lower beam; 10 - steel sheet; 11 - washer; 12 - latch; 13 - handle; 14 - roller.

Fig.8. Mine body PDM-2:

1 - body; 2 - central neck; 3-glass; 4 - intermediate detonator; 5 - side neck; 6 - nipple; 7 - charge; 8 - gaskets; 9 - plugs.

Fig.9. Charge S3-3L:

a) - general view; b) - cut; 1 - body; 2 - explosive charge; 3 - intermediate detonators; 4 - ignition socket for the detonator cap; 5 - socket for a special fuse; 6 - plugs; 7 - handle; 8 - rings for binding the charge.

1 - body; 2 - cumulative lining; 3 - explosive charge; 4 - intermediate detonator; 5 - seal nest; 6 - handle; 7 - retractable legs; 8 - cork.

Fig.10. Charge S3-6M:

1 - capron shell; 2 – polyethylene sheath; 3 – plastic explosive charge; 4 - intermediate detonators; 5 - rubber couplings; 6 - metal clips; 7 - socket for a detonator cap; 8 - socket for a special fuse; 9 - plugs; 10 - union nut; 11 - rings for binding the charge.

At present, the engineering troops of developed countries have nuclear mines with a TNT equivalent from 2 to 1000 tons.

Assessing the effectiveness of nuclear mines, foreign experts believe that they can be used as a multi-purpose weapon against advancing enemy forces. It is believed that the explosion of nuclear mines located in special concrete or soil wells creates zones of destruction and contamination that are capable of dismembering the battle formations of enemy troops, directing its advance into areas advantageous for inflicting conventional and nuclear strikes on it. An important direction in the use of nuclear mines is considered to be the strengthening of mine-explosive barriers in tank-hazardous areas. The protective effect of nuclear mines is due to the creation, as a result of explosions, of craters, blockages, zones of destruction and contamination, which are a serious obstacle to the movement of troops.

The crater from a nuclear mine explosion is a formidable obstacle, since its large size, steep slopes and rapid filling with water greatly impede the movement of not only vehicles, but also tanks.

The size of the craters will depend on the TNT equivalent of nuclear mines, the depth of their laying and the methods of detonation. When a mine explodes on the surface of the earth with a power of 1.2 kt, a funnel is formed with a diameter of 27 m and a depth of 6.4 m; the same charge, detonated at a depth of 5 m, forms a funnel with a diameter of 79 m and a depth of up to 16 m, and at a depth of 20 m - with a diameter of 89 m and a depth of 27.5 m. The protective effect of a nuclear mine explosion is enhanced by radioactive fallout over a large area.

Antiamphibious mines are used to mine water lines in areas of possible landings to destroy amphibious amphibious vehicles and combat vehicles. The main characteristics of these mines are presented in Table 7, the distinguishing feature of which is their use in a submerged position.

The device of anti-amphibious mines and their main components are shown on the example of the PDM-2 mine in Fig. 7, 8.

For mining railway tracks (ZhDM-6), highways (ADM-7, ADM-8) and other specific tasks, special mines are used (Table 8). Mines MPM, SPM, BIM have the property of "sticking" (with the help of a magnet or adhesive material) and have a quasi-cumulative lining for the formation of significant holes in obstacles.

To make passages in anti-tank and anti-mine fields, elongated demining charges are used (Table 9). They are advanced manually or mechanized, or launched into a minefield with the help of jet engines. Therefore, explosive charges are placed in metal pipes or in flexible fabric or plastic sleeves (hoses). Charges UZ-1, UZ-2, UZ-Z and UZ-ZR are metal pipes in which pressed pieces of TNT are placed. The UZ-67 charge consists of a sleeve (material - nylon-based fabric), in which TNT blocks are strung on a flexible hose with explosives of the A-IX-1 type. Charges UZP-72 and UZP-77 are based on a flexible rope with wound layers of plastic charge from PVV-7, placed in a sleeve made of special fabric.

Note: p.m. - linear meter.

Fig.12. Cumulative charge KZU-2:

a) - longitudinal section; b) - cross section; 1 - foam insert; 2 - explosive charge (TG-40); 3 - body; 4 - plug; 5 - gasket; 6 - bushing; 7 - gasket; 8- glass; 9 - checker BB A-XI-1; 10 - cap; 11 - ring; 12 - latch; 13 - strap; 14 - bracket; 15 - leaf spring; 16 - magnet; 17 - cumulative lining; 18 - clamp.

Fig.13. KZU-2 charge installation diagrams (the arrow indicates the installation location of the electric detonator or fuse)

To carry out demolition work in emergency situations, for example, when it is necessary to make a homemade mine in the shortest possible time, concentrated charges are used (Table 10). Charges SZ-ZA (Fig. 9), SZ-6, SZ-6M (Fig. 10) can be used for blasting under water. It should be noted that SZ-ZA, SZ-6 and SZ-6M charges can be successfully used in underwater blasting.

Shaped charges (Table 11) are used to punch or cut through thick metal slabs during the destruction of armored and reinforced concrete defensive structures.

The design and elements of the shaped charges KZ-2, KZU-2 are shown in Fig. 11-13.

In engineering troops, for demolition work, TNT and plastic explosives are used in the form of checkers, the main characteristics of which are presented in Table. 12.13.

Detonating cords are widely used to transfer an explosive impulse during explosions in engineering troops (Table 14).

Of all the munitions in service with the Russian army, engineering munitions are remarkable in that they are dual-use munitions, i.e. can be used in blasting in the national economy to solve specific problems in the mining, metallurgical and oil industries. For this reason, funding is not required for their disposal. Engineering munitions that have reached the end of their service life should be transferred to civilian organizations conducting explosive work (for example, in the mining industry). By now, millions of tons of so-called scrubs have accumulated at metallurgical plants, which are large-sized multi-ton objects with a significant iron content. Due to the crisis state of our metallurgical industry, these scrubs can serve as a good source of raw materials. But for obvious reasons, such scrubs cannot be transported and loaded into blast furnaces; they need to be split. In this case, engineering ammunition is an indispensable tool for solving this problem. At the same time, the technology for cutting such a scrub is as follows. By detonating a shaped charge (KZ-1, KZ-2, KZ-4), a crater (significant in depth and diameter) is created in the scrub, which is filled with explosives and blasted. As a result of these activities, the scrub is destroyed into parts that can be transported and loaded into a blast furnace. This is just one of thousands of examples of the use of engineering ammunition in the national economy.

The creation of a new generation of highly effective dual-use engineering munitions will, on the one hand, ensure the combat operations of the Ground Forces and, on the other hand, their use in the national economy (after the expiration of their service life) will significantly save the financial resources of our state.

More than once or twice in recent years, our mass media, especially television, have hysterically informed the broad masses about the “criminally negligent attitude of the military towards ammunition”, about “another deadly find”, about those discovered in the forest (at a shooting range, an abandoned military camp, on exercise venue), etc. etc. shells, rockets, mines. Very willingly and in detail, television shows these "terrible finds", interviews excited inhabitants, stigmatizes "criminals in uniform", demands that the "blatant bungling" be investigated and those responsible be severely punished. By the way, for some reason, yesterday's students are especially excited, who received a minimum of military training in military departments, but who imagine themselves to be major experts in military affairs.

And every time, my eye habitually fixes with boredom the white stripes on the shells of the mines, the distinct inscriptions "inert", the black color of the "unexploded" shells. All these finds are no more dangerous than an old harrow, or, say, an old typewriter.

In this article, the author wants to try to teach non-military people to distinguish training, completely harmless engineering ammunition from really dangerous combat mines, fuses. Maybe then someone will not have to, leaving an exciting mushroom picking or throwing a rake, grabbing their children in an armful, rush to the phone to notify the authorities about the find. Or vice versa, you don’t have to put your life in mortal danger, bringing home a small elegant gray shell with black letters (it’s a sin to hide, it happens that the shell doesn’t fly where it’s supposed to, and the valiant army lost entire rockets).

First of all, in contrast to artillery training (inert) ammunition, which, to distinguish them from combat ones, are painted not in gray, but in black, in contrast to naval ammunition, in which the warhead of training torpedoes, mines, shells, missiles is painted red -white color, engineering ammunition, both combat and training, training and simulation are painted the same way. The color of engineering ammunition can be different - green, black, dirty yellow, brown, gray, bare metal, etc.

It is possible to distinguish between combat and training (inert), training and simulation engineering ammunition by marking.

Small-sized ammunition such as fuses, blasting caps, electric detonators, on which it is impossible to place alphanumeric markings, have the following distinguishing features:
* training (inert) - white stripe;
* training and simulation - red stripe. These ammunition, when fired, either give off a flash of flame, or colored smoke, or make a sharp sound, a pop. It is impossible to suffer much from them, but it is possible to get injured.
* combat - without colored stripes. These items are deadly.

The figure shows the detonator caps No. 8 in full size. Two upper combat (aluminum above, copper below). The third from the top is training, the lowest is training and simulation. You just want to turn these beautiful shiny silver or golden tubes in your hands, sort them out, play with them, children often take them in their mouths. The result of the explosion in the hands of the detonator cap is three severed fingers and a gouged eye (standard!). Caps, igniters, electric detonators, fuses have exactly the same marking.

Recently, some small-sized training ammunition began to be marked with the letter I. For example, PFM-1 training mines are marked this way.

Anti-tank mines made of metal and wood are usually painted green (rarely dirty yellow). The mines are marked on the side of the body with black paint. The top number indicates the item number. Below is the code of the product. Usually this is the brand of mine (TM-46, TMD-B, etc.). Even lower is the triple number, written with hyphens. The first number is the number of the equipment factory, the second is the number of the batch of mines, the third is the year the mine was equipped. At the very bottom, the code of the explosive used in the mine is indicated. Usually you can find the following ciphers: A-50, A-80, G, PVV-4, MS, TGA, TG-50, TG-30, T, Tetr, TN. These or other alphanumeric combinations just indicate that this is a military mine. The training mine in place of the BB cipher has a white horizontal stripe.

Training mines TM-62M and all mines of later developments, in addition, on the side of the body still have a black inscription INERT. , or INERT., or INERT.

Training mines are equipped with a mixture of cement and rosin.
This mixture has weight-volume characteristics identical to TNT, but it is absolutely non-flammable, non-explosive.

Exactly the same markings on plastic cases. On shells of anti-tank mines made of polyethylene, where the paint does not hold well, the markings may be embossed, i.e. having no color. However, a white stripe is also applied on the polyethylene cases of training mines.

Other placement of markings on anti-tank mines is also possible (for example, on the bottom of the hull or on its upper part). However, in all cases, the body of the training mine will have at least a white stripe or the inscription "inert" or both at the same time.

On anti-personnel mines, the marking is the same, but placed in place, i.e. where it is more convenient to do so. The figure shows a training anti-personnel mine PMN. The marking is placed on the rubber cover. The inscription "inert" and a white stripe are clearly visible. At the PMN combat mine, the explosive font is placed in place of the white stripe.

Engineer ammo boxes are usually painted dark green, rarely unpainted. The side wall is marked with black paint. The top row - the code of the product and the number of products in the box, below, through hyphens, the code of the manufacturer, batch number, year of manufacture, below the code of the explosive with which the products are equipped. For boxes with training ammunition, "INERT" is written in this place and an additional white stripe is applied on the side. For boxes with imitation ammunition, the stripe is red. Below all the gross weight of the box. In addition to these mandatory markings, boxes can be marked with a cargo capacity in the form of a black triangle with a number in the center (for civilian transport organizations), warning labels (such as: "When transporting by plane, pierce with an awl here", "Afraid of dampness", "Do not turn over", "Flammable cargo", etc.). If different products are packed in one box (for example, TNT checkers of different nomenclature), then their codes and quantities are also indicated on the box.

In the picture on the left is a box with combat mines TM-46, on the right with training ones.

In all cases, inert and live ammunition are not placed together in the same box.

On anti-personnel mines (such as PMD-6M, POMZ-2M), which are manufactured or equipped with explosives and fuses in the troops (and this is allowed only in wartime), there may not be any markings at all. Also, any marking may be missing on Soviet engineering ammunition from the Second World War.

Anti-tank mine TMN-46

Anti-tank anti-track mine. Designed to disable enemy tracked and wheeled vehicles. The defeat of enemy vehicles is inflicted due to the destruction of their undercarriage during the explosion of a mine charge at the moment the wheel (roller) runs over the pressure cover of the mine.

The mine can be installed both on the ground and in the ground, in snow, under water manually or by means of mechanization (trailed mine spreaders PMR-1, PMR-2, trailed minelayers PMZ-3, PMZ-4, caterpillar minelayer GMZ, helicopter mining system VMP-2).

The term of combat operation of the mine is not limited. With the destruction of the metal body of the mine from corrosion, the sensitivity of the mine increases from 120-400 kg. up to 3-5 kg. The mine is not equipped with a self-liquidator.

The mine comes in two versions - TM-46 and TMN-46. The second option is distinguished by the presence of a second point at the bottom of the mine for installing a non-removable fuse (MUV series with an MD-6N fuse).

The mine can be used with fuses MVM, MVSh-46. The first samples of mines could be equipped with MV-5 fuses with an MD-5m fuse, which were inserted into the mine under a standard plug. The mine can be used as a booby trap. For this, an ENO special fuse is used, which has the appearance of a standard plug-plug. An explosion in this case occurs when you try to unscrew the plug.

On the left is a mine with an MVM fuse, on the right with an MVSh fuse

Tactical and technical characteristics of mines

Type of mine: anti-track
Case: metal.
Weight: 8.6 kg.
Mass of explosive (TNT): 5.7 kg.
Diameter: 30 cm.
Height with MVM: 10.8 cm.
Height with MVSh-46: 26 cm.
Target sensor diameter: 20cm.
Sensitivity: 120-400 kg.
Temperature range of application: -60 --+60 degrees.

The appearance of the fuse MVM with a check. The thread for screwing the fuse into the point of the mine is clearly visible. At the very bottom, the MD-6N fuse is clearly visible.

Standard installation of mines in medium soil manually.

Setting a mine for non-removability. 1-Fuse MUV. 2-Tension wire. 3-Peg.

From the author. Often, when they see this picture, people say: “Well, what a non-recovery it is. Here you can dig, crawl with your hand and neutralize the fuse!”. Well, firstly, you still need to know which and how many of the hundreds of mines are worth the non-removability. And secondly, perhaps only sappers know all the insidiousness of the MUV fuse, they know with what incomprehensible ease a check pops out of it. Joking with a fuse, having 6 kg next to it. TNT, a lousy job. The only consolation is that your comrades will no longer have to bury you, there will be nothing.

Mina is good and reliable. However, already in the mid-fifties it was recognized that 6 kg. TNT is not enough for modern tanks. Typically, the explosion of TM-46 broke 3-4 tracks of the caterpillar, slightly damaging the skating rink. Often the damage to the rink was such that it could be used further. Replacing tracks takes a trained crew from 1 to 3 hours. So, if the wrecked tank is not immediately covered by anti-tank artillery, then after a short time it will again be in service. Already in 1956, more powerful TM-56 and TM-57 mines were developed, and then the TM-62 family of mines.

Those who wish can see in all details the TM-46 (training) mine in the movie "Trembita". A bunch of these mines hangs instead of a load on the crane of the well, near which Kramarov is spinning with a mine detector.
In appearance, the TM-46 mine resembles the German TMi-42 mine, but it is thinner, the edges fade away like a plate, it has a smaller diameter, and the charge is only 3.2 kg.

Family of anti-tank mines TM-62

Since the mid-sixties, the TM-62 family of mines in the Soviet (Russian) Army has been the main standard type of anti-tank anti-track mine. Common to all mines of this family is the shape, size and thread of the socket (point) for the fuse, as a result of which all fuses of the MV-62 series and a number of other fuses, locks and detonating devices are suitable and can be used with any mine of the TM-62 family.
The differences between the mines of the family are in the hull material, hull shape and dimensions.
In addition, none of the mines of the family has nests for additional fuses used as anti-removal elements. None of the mines of the family has pressure covers and the dimensions of the target sensor are determined by the design features of a particular fuse.

The family includes the following mines:

TM-62M Main base model. The body is metal. Removable fabric carrying handle. It is mainly intended for mining using trailed or self-propelled caterpillar spreaders (layers), helicopter mining systems, and also in cases where it is likely that it will be necessary to search for and remove mines by own troops. Can also be used for manual mining. It can be installed both on the surface of the earth and in the ground, snow, water. Well detected by all types of metal detectors (mine detectors), probes, search dogs.

TM-62P Basic basic model for manual installation. Housing made of impact-resistant plastic. Not intended for mechanized installation. Non-removable fabric carrying handle. It can be installed both on the surface of the earth and in the ground, snow, water. It is not detected by any type of metal detectors, it is difficult to detect by radio-frequency type mine detectors, it is well detected by probes, search dogs.
A variant of the mine is the TM-62P2 mine. The case diameter is reduced by 2 cm (to the size of TM-62M), the handle is made of a removable harness type. Can be used for mechanized installation instead of the TM-62M mine.

TM-62P3 The body is made of durable green polyethylene. The pull-type carrying handle is removable. Designed for manual installation only. It can be installed both on the surface of the earth and in the ground, snow, water. Developed as an alternative so that the production of mines at the appropriate factories in wartime could be organized. It is not detected by any type of metal detectors, radio-frequency type mine detectors are detected with great difficulty, it is well detected by probes, search dogs.

TM-62B It was developed as a mine undetectable by mine detectors with the maximum efficiency of the mass of the mine. Has no body. Its role is played by the hardened surface layer of the explosive. It is installed only by hand, preferably in a chemically non-aggressive soil and preferably not waterlogged. Not intended for use in long-term minefields. It is not detected by any type of metal detectors, it is practically not detected by radio-frequency type mine detectors, it is well detected by probes, it is very well detected by search dogs, and the smell of one mine can prevent the dog from detecting nearby mines and excludes the dog from detecting case mines at a distance of up to 10-18 meters.

TM-62D Designed for manual installation. Designed to enable the production of mines at woodworking enterprises, carpentry workshops in wartime. Not produced in peacetime. As a material for the body, thick plywood, boards, chipboards can be used. Not intended for use in long-term minefields. It is not detected by any type of metal detectors, it is difficult to detect by radio-frequency type mine detectors, it is well detected by probes, search dogs.

TM-62T The body is made of nylon fabric impregnated with epoxy resin. It was developed as an alternative version of the TM-62P3 mine so that it would be possible to organize the production of mines at the respective factories in wartime. Outwardly, it differs from the TM-62P3 only in the texture of the surface of the case. The pull-type carrying handle is removable. Designed for manual installation only. It can be installed both on the surface of the earth and in the ground, snow, water. It is not detected by any type of metal detectors, radio-frequency type mine detectors are detected with great difficulty, it is well detected by probes, search dogs.

For the family of mines TM-62 several types of fuses have been developed that differ from each other in the body material, the presence or absence of long-range cocking mechanisms, the difference in the types of long-range cocking mechanisms, the presence or absence of mechanisms for transferring the fuse back to a safe position, the ability to bring the mine into a combat or safe position remotely or lack thereof, the possibility of detonating a mine from the control panel or the lack thereof.

Each of these fuses can be used on any mine of the family, however, the use of certain fuses is preferable for each type of mine. Basically, it depends on the material of the mine body and the material of the fuse body. For example, in a mine with a non-metallic body, it is not advisable to use a fuse that has many metal parts, because. in this case, the mine loses its main advantage - undetectable by metal detectors.
In some cases, the choice of fuse type is determined by the tactical requirements for the minefield.

PMN anti-personnel mine

High-explosive pressure anti-personnel mine. Designed to disable enemy personnel. The defeat of a person is inflicted due to the destruction of the lower part of the leg (foot) during the explosion of the mine charge at the moment the foot steps on the pressure cover of the mine. Usually, when a mine explodes, the foot of the foot with which the enemy soldier stepped on the mine is completely torn off, and, depending on the distance, the second leg from the explosion site, it can also be significantly damaged or not be damaged at all. In addition, a shock wave of a sufficiently large explosive charge deprives a person of consciousness, the high temperature of explosive gases can cause significant burns to the lower extremities. Death can occur from pain shock, blood loss due to untimely first aid.

The mine can be installed both on the ground and in the ground, in the snow, manually or laid out by means of mechanization (trailed mine spreaders PMR-1, PMR-2, trailed minelayers PMZ-4), but in all cases the transfer of the mine into combat position is carried out manually.

The term of combat operation of the mine is not limited. The mine is not equipped with a self-liquidator. It has no elements of non-removability and neutralization.

The mine has a fuse, which is part of the design of the mine. Fuse type MD-9.

Tactical and technical characteristics of mines

Type of mine: anti-personnel high-explosive
Housing: plastic.
Weight: 550 gr.
Mass of explosive (TNT): 200 gr.
Diameter: 11 cm.
Height: 5.3 cm.
Target sensor diameter: 10cm.
Sensitivity: 8 - 25 kg.
Temperature range of application: -40 --+50 degrees.

Planting a mine is safe enough. From the moment the safety pin is pulled out to the moment the fuse is cocked, depending on the ambient temperature, it takes from 3 minutes to 3 minutes. (at +40 degrees) up to 59 hours (at -40 degrees).

Mines are packed in boxes of 25 pcs. (gross weight 22 kg.) not fully equipped. Fuses MD-9 are transported separately. In a combat stop, mines can be equipped with fuses and transported in a standard capping fully equipped.

Standard shaped charge ring explosive - KPC

One such standard prefabricated charge is the KPC shaped charge ring. This charge is designed to break steel (metal) pipes, rods, cables. With the explosion of a full charge of the KPC in air or under water, a rod (pipe) with an outer diameter of up to 70 mm is reliably interrupted. or cable with a diameter up to 65mm.

The KPC charge consists of two semi-charges interconnected on one side with a hinged, easily detachable connection, on the other side with a spring latch. Metal plates are inserted between the halves of the charge. On both halves of the charge there are sockets for standard blasting caps KD No. 8a, electric detonators EDP, EDPr. This makes it possible to initiate an explosion of the charge both with the help of an incendiary tube in a fire way, and with a detonating cord, or electrically. In the middle part of each semi-charge, a spring is placed in the tube. The cumulative recess is filled with a foam insert (shown in greenish-blue in the figure).
This design of the KPC charge allows it to be used both in its entirety when undermining thick cables and rods, and in half form when undermining thin rods and cables; easy and simple to fix the charge on the undermined element.

The figure above shows the fastening of the full charge of the QPC on a thick rod, below the half charge of the QPC on a thin rod. The red and blue winding lines show the wires of the electric detonator.

The figure below shows the position of the metal plates and tubular mounting springs in the charge opening (1); the position of the springs when the full charge is fixed on the rod (2), the plates are not used in this case; the position of the spring and the plate when the semi-charge is fixed on the rod (3).

Such a charge attachment system ensures strict centering of the element being detonated and the most effective action of the cumulative explosion jet. Before undermining the charge in air, the foam insert should be removed, because. its presence reduces the charge efficiency by 15%. When undermining the charge in water, the liner should not be removed, because. in this case, it provides a free volume for the formation of a cumulative jet. The decrease in the efficiency of the charge due to the presence of a foam insert during an explosion under water is completely and more than compensated by the clogging effect of the surrounding water.

Technical characteristics of the KPC charge:

Weight: 1 kg.
Mass of explosive (TG-50): 0.4 kg.
Charge Thickness: 5.2cm.
Charge length: 20cm.
Charge Width: 16cm.
Installation depth in water: up to 10m.
Charge interrupts:
- steel rod diameter: up to 70mm.
- cable with steel diameter: up to 65 mm.

Half charge interrupts:

Steel rod diameter: up to 30mm.
- cable with steel diameter: up to 30 mm.

KPC charges (8 pieces) are placed in a wooden box. Gross weight 25 kg. In the box, in addition, there is a duffel bag for carrying charges in the field. Explosive devices are not supplied with charges.
The means of blasting are selected depending on the blasting method chosen by the demolitionist. The means of blasting are carried separately in the bag of the SMP demolition miner.

Standard concentrated explosive charges of the SZ series

When carrying out demolition works, not only explosive charges are used, compiled at the place of work from the amount of explosive calculated according to formulas or nomograms, but also explosive charges of factory production. Such explosive charges, called demolition workers as "standard explosive charges" are designed to perform explosions in the destruction of the most common elements of building structures (columns, piles, racks, beams, slabs, etc.), machine elements and other objects (braces, cables , rods, rods), punching holes in walls, foundations, armored closures, armored plates, etc.
These standard charges usually have a strong metal, plastic or other case; standard nests for placing detonator caps, electric detonators, various types of fuses in them; means for quickly fixing the charge on the object undermined.
When undermining standard objects, the use of standard explosive charges is more preferable, because. sometimes complicated calculations are not required, the charge is fixed very quickly, the attachment of blasting means is carried out quickly and reliably; the destruction of the object is guaranteed.

Standard concentrated charges of the SZ series are intended for general demolition work and represent certain amounts of explosive of normal power placed in a sealed metal cap. On the outer side of the capping there are one or two sockets for explosives and carrying handles, and in some cases, rings and rubber bands for fixing the charge on the object being blown up.

1. Concentrated charge SZ-1:

It is a sealed metal box filled with explosives. On one end side it has a carrying handle, on the opposite side there is a threaded socket for the EDPr electric detonator. Conventional incendiary tubes, standard incendiary tubes ZTP-50, ZTP-150, ZTP-300, detonating cord with detonator cap KD No. 8a, electric detonators EDP and EDPr, fuses MD-2 and MD-5 with special fuses.

Technical characteristics of the SZ-1 charge:

Weight: 1.4 kg.
Mass of explosive (TG-50): 1 kg.
Overall dimensions: 65x116x126 mm.
In a 30 kg box. 16 charges are packed.

2. Concentrated charge SZ-3:

It is a sealed metal box filled with explosives. On one end side it has a carrying handle, on the opposite side and on one of the sides there is a socket with a thread for the EDPr electric detonator. Conventional incendiary tubes, standard incendiary tubes ZTP-50, ZTP-150, ZTP-300, detonating cord with detonator cap KD No. 8a, electric detonators EDP and EDPr, fuses MD-2 and MD-5 with special fuses.
The charge is painted dark green. Has no markings.

Technical characteristics of the SZ-3 charge:

Weight: 3.7 kg.
Mass of explosives (TG-50): 3 kg.
Overall dimensions: .65x171x337 mm.
In a box weighing 33 kg. packs 6 charges.

3. Concentrated charge SZ-3a:

It is a strong metal sealed box filled with explosives. On one side it has a carrying handle. In addition, there are four metal rings and two rubber bands with carabiners 100 (150) cm long on the body, which allows you to quickly attach the charge to the object being blown up. On one of the end sides it has a threaded socket for the EDPr electric detonator. On the opposite end side, it has a socket for a special fuse in order to use the charge as a special mine. Conventional incendiary tubes, standard incendiary tubes ZTP-50, ZTP-150, ZTP-300, detonating cord with detonator cap KD No. 8a, electric detonators EDP and EDPr, fuses MD-2 and MD-5 with special fuses, special fuses.

Weight: 3.7 kg.
Mass of explosives (TG-50): 2.8 kg.
Overall dimensions: 98x142x200 mm.
In a box weighing 48 kg. 10 charges are packed.

4. Concentrated charge SZ-6:

It is a sealed metal box filled with explosives. On one side it has a carrying handle. In addition, there are four metal rings and two rubber bands with carabiners 100 (150) cm long on the body, which allows you to quickly attach the charge to the object being blown up. On one of the end sides it has a threaded socket for the EDPr electric detonator. On the opposite end side, it has a socket for a special fuse in order to use the charge as a special mine. Conventional incendiary tubes, standard incendiary tubes ZTP-50, ZTP-150, ZTP-300, detonating cord with detonator cap KD No. 8a, electric detonators EDP and EDPr, fuses MD-2 and MD-5 with special fuses, special fuses.
The charge is painted in ball (gray wild) color. Marking is standard.
The charge can be used underwater at depths up to 100m.

Technical characteristics of the SZ-3a charge:

Weight: 7.3 kg.
Mass of explosives (TG-50): 5.9 kg.
Overall dimensions: 98x142x395 mm.
In a box weighing 48 kg. packs 5 charges.

Elongated standard explosive charges of the SZ series

Works from the amount of explosive calculated according to formulas or nomograms, but also factory-made explosive charges. Such explosive charges, called demolition workers as "standard explosive charges" are designed to perform explosions in the destruction of the most common elements of building structures (columns, piles, racks, beams, slabs, etc.), machine elements and other objects (braces, cables , rods, rods), punching holes in walls, foundations, armored closures, armored plates, etc.
These standard charges usually have a strong metal, plastic or plastic case; standard nests for placing detonator caps, electric detonators, various types of fuses in them; means for quickly fixing the charge on the object undermined.
When undermining standard objects, the use of standard explosive charges is more preferable, because. sometimes complicated calculations are not required, the charge is fixed very quickly, the attachment of blasting means is carried out quickly and reliably; the destruction of the object is guaranteed.

The figure shows the options for using elongated charges of the SZ series (charges are highlighted in yellow): 1-undermining a wall with an elongated charge, 2-undermining an I-beam with a figured charge, 3-undermining a log with an annular charge.

Standard elongated charges of the SZ series are designed to perform work when undermining metal and wooden structures, building walls, blasting in soils, and represent certain amounts of plastic explosive such as plastite (PVV-4) of normal power placed in a sealed flexible plastic sheath. From the ends of the shell there are metal terminal devices having a thread on one side and a captive nut on the opposite side, nests for explosives (except for the SZ-4P charge). From standard elongated charges, elongated charges of the required length are assembled, or they can be used as figured charges.
The use of standard elongated charges creates significant ease of use in comparison with the elongated charges recruited from TNT blocks and even in comparison with figured or elongated charges made of explosives of the plastite type made on the job site. In this case, it is not required to make a charge shell from improvised materials.

For blasting, the following standard elongated charges of the SZ series are used:

1. Extended charge SZ-1P:

It is a two-layer flexible shell (internal polyethylene, external - nylon fabric) filled with explosive. Metal clips are attached to the ends of the shell, which have a thread on one side, and a union nut on the opposite side for connecting the charges to each other. At the ends of the clips there are threaded sockets for the EDPr electric detonator. Conventional incendiary tubes, standard incendiary tubes ZTP-50, ZTP-150, ZTP-300, detonating cord with detonator cap KD No. 8a, electric detonators EDP and EDPr, fuses MD-2 and MD-5 with special fuses.

Technical characteristics of the SZ-1P charge:

Weight: 1.5 kg.
Weight of explosives (PVV-4): 1 kg.
Length: 600 mm.
Diameter: 45 mm.
In a box weighing 26 kg. packs 8 charges. The box also includes a duffel bag for carrying charges and 30 meters of nylon fastening tape.

2. Extended charge SZ-6M:

It is a two-layer flexible shell (internal polyethylene, external - nylon fabric) filled with explosive. Metal clips are attached to the ends of the shell, which have a thread on one side, and a union nut on the opposite side for connecting the charges to each other. In one clip there is a threaded socket for the EDPr electric detonator. Conventional incendiary tubes, standard incendiary tubes ZTP-50, ZTP-150, ZTP-300, detonating cord with detonator cap KD No. 8a, electric detonators EDP and EDPr, fuses MD-2 and MD-5 with special fuses. In another clip there is a socket for a special fuse, which allows the charge to be used as a mine for a special application.
Each clip has two metal rings for hooking the carabiners of rubber fastening harnesses, which allows you to easily and quickly attach the charge to the object undermined.
The charge has a spherical (wild grey) color. Marking is standard, located on one of the clips.

Technical characteristics of the SZ-6M charge:

Weight: 6.9 kg.
Weight of explosives (PVV-4): 6 kg.
Length: 1200 mm.
Diameter: 82 mm.
In a box weighing 56 kg. packs 5 charges. The box also includes 2 anchors for attaching charges.

1. Extended charge SZ-4P:

It is a two-layer flexible shell (internal polyethylene, external - nylon fabric) filled with plastic explosive (PVV-4). Capron fastening tapes are attached to the ends of the shell.
There are no ignition sockets. When using a charge, ignition nests are made in place by cutting the shell with a knife and then making the nest with a special template. Unlike the charges SZ-1P and SZ-6M, the design of which provides for the use of the charge as a whole or in combination with several others, the design of the SZ-4P charge provides for the use, including in parts. To do this, the charge can be cut into pieces and create shorter elongated charges.
The charge is dark green. There is no marking.

Technical characteristics of the SZ-4P charge:

Weight: 4.2 kg.
Weight of explosives (PVV-4): 4 kg.
Length: 2000 mm.
Diameter: 45 mm.
In a box weighing 35 kg. packs 6 charges. Two wooden templates and 20 meters of nylon fastening tape are also embedded in the box.

Literature:

Demolition Guide. Start approved. eng. Troops of the USSR Ministry of Defense 27.07.67. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1969
Manual on military engineering for the Soviet Army. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1984
Engineering ammunition. Book one. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1976
B.V. Varenyshev and others. Textbook. Military engineering training. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1982
B.S.Kolibernov and others. Handbook of an officer of engineering troops. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1989
Engineering ammunition. Guide to the material part and application. Book one. Military publishing house of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Moscow. 1976
E.S. Kolibernov and others. Handbook of an officer of engineering troops. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1989

Information about explosives

Explosives serve as a source of energy necessary for throwing (throwing) bullets, mines, grenades, for breaking them, as well as for performing various blasting operations.

Explosives are such chemical compounds and mixtures that, under the influence of external influences, are capable of very rapid chemical transformations, accompanied by the release of heat and the formation of a large amount of highly heated gases capable of performing the work of throwing or destruction.

The powder charge of a rifle cartridge weighing 3.25 g burns out in about 0.0012 s when fired. When the charge is burned, about 3 large calories of heat are released and about 3 liters of gases are formed, the temperature of which at the time of the shot is 2400-29000. The gases, being highly heated, exert high pressure (up to 2900 kg / cm 2) and eject a bullet from the bore at a speed of over 800 m / s.

The process of rapid chemical change of an explosive from a solid (liquid) state to a gaseous state, accompanied by the conversion of its potential energy into mechanical work, is called explosion. During an explosion, as a rule, a reaction occurs when oxygen combines with the combustible elements of the explosive (hydrogen, carbon, sulfur, etc.).

An explosion can be caused by mechanical action - impact, prick, friction, thermal (electrical) action - heating, a spark, a flame beam, the explosion energy of another explosive that is sensitive to thermal or mechanical effects (explosion of a detonator cap).

Depending on the chemical composition of the explosives and the conditions of the explosion (the force of external action, pressure and temperature, the amount and density of the substance, etc.), explosive transformations can occur in two main forms, which differ significantly in speed: combustion and explosion (detonation).

Combustion- the process of transformation of an explosive, proceeding at a speed of several meters per second and accompanied by a rapid increase in gas pressure; as a result of it, throwing or scattering of surrounding bodies occurs.

An example of the burning of an explosive is the burning of gunpowder when fired. The burning rate of gunpowder is directly proportional to pressure. In the open air, the burning rate of smokeless powder is about 1 mm / s, and in the bore when fired, due to an increase in pressure, the burning rate of gunpowder increases and reaches several meters per second.

Explosion- the process of transformation of an explosive, proceeding at a speed of several hundred (thousand) meters per second and accompanied by a sharp increase in gas pressure, which produces a strong destructive effect on nearby objects. The greater the rate of transformation of the explosive, the greater the force of its destruction. When an explosion proceeds at the maximum possible speed under given conditions, then such a case of an explosion is called detonation. Most explosives are capable of detonating under certain conditions.

An example of the detonation of an explosive is the detonation of a TNT charge and the rupture of a projectile. The detonation speed of TNT reaches 6990 m/s.

The detonation of some explosive can cause the explosion of another explosive in direct contact with it or at a certain distance from it.

This is the basis for the device and the use of detonator caps. The transfer of detonation over a distance is associated with the propagation in the environment surrounding the explosive charge of a sharp increase in the pressure of the shock wave. Therefore, the excitation of an explosion in this way is almost no different from the excitation of an explosion by means of a mechanical shock.

Division of explosives according to the nature of their action and practical application

According to the nature of the action and practical application, explosives are divided into initiating, crushing (blasting), propelling and pyrotechnic compositions.

Initiators explosives are called those that have great sensitivity, explode from a slight thermal or mechanical effect and, by their detonation, cause the explosion of other explosives.

The main representatives of initiating explosives are mercury fulminate, lead azide, lead styphnate and tetrazene.

Initiating explosives are used to equip igniter caps and blasting caps. Initiating explosives and products in which they are used are very sensitive to external influences of various kinds, so they require careful handling.

Crushing (blasting) explosives are called those that explode, as a rule, under the action of the detonation of initiating explosives and, during the explosion, crush the surrounding objects.

The main representatives of crushing explosives are: TNT (tol), melinite, tetryl, RDX, PETN, ammonites, etc.

Crushing explosives are used as explosive charges for mines, grenades, shells, and are also used in blasting.

Crushing agents also include pyroxylin and nitroglycerin, which are used as a starting material for manufacturing.

Throwable called such explosives that have an explosive transformation in the form of combustion with a relatively slow increase in pressure, which allows them to be used for throwing bullets, mines, grenades, shells.

The main representatives of propellant explosives are gunpowder (smoky and smokeless).

Smoke powder is a mechanical mixture of saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal.

Smokeless powders are divided into pyroxylin and nitroglycerine powders.

Rice. 53. The shape of the grains of smokeless powder:

a - plates; b - tape; c - tube; g - cylinder with seven channels

Pyroxylin powder is made by dissolving a mixture (in certain proportions) of wet soluble and insoluble pyroxylin in an alcohol-ether solvent.

Nitroglycerin powder is made from a mixture (in certain proportions) of pyroxylin with nitroglycerin.

The following can be added to smokeless powders: a stabilizer - to protect the powder from chemical decomposition during long-term storage; phlegmatizer - to slow down the burning rate of the outer surface of the powder grains; graphite - to achieve flowability and eliminate grain sticking. Diphenylamine is most often used as a stabilizer, and camphor as a phlegmatizer.

Smoke powders are used to equip fuses for hand grenades, remote tubes, fuses, to make a igniter cord, etc.

Smokeless powders are used as combat (powder) charges of firearms: pyroxylin powders - mainly in the powder charges of small arms cartridges, nitroglycerin, as more powerful - in the combat charges of grenades, mines, shells.

Grains of smokeless powder can be in the form of a plate, tape, single-channel or multi-channel tube or cylinder (see Fig. 53).

The amount of gases formed per unit time during the combustion of gunpowder grains is proportional to their burning surface. In the process of burning gunpowder of the same composition, depending on its shape, the burning surface, and therefore the amount of gases formed per unit time, can decrease, remain constant or increase.

Rice. 54. Burning grains of smokeless powder:

a - degressive form; b - with a constant burning surface, c - progressive form

Gunpowder, the surface of the grains of which decreases as they burn, are called gunpowders of a degressive form (see fig. 54). This is, for example, a record and a tape.

Gunpowder, the surface of the grains of which remains constant during combustion, are called gunpowder from constant burning surface, for example, tube with one channel, cylinder with one channel. Grains of such gunpowder burn simultaneously both inside and from the outer surface. The decrease in the outer burning surface is compensated by the increase in the inner surface, so that the total surface remains constant for the entire burning time, if the burning of the tube from the ends is not taken into account.

Gunpowder, the surface of the grains of which increases as they burn, are called powders of progressive form, for example, a tube with several channels, a cylinder with several channels. When the grain of such gunpowder burns, the surface of the channels increases; this creates a general increase in the burning surface of the grain until it breaks up into parts, after which combustion occurs according to the type of combustion of gunpowder of a degressive form.

Progressive combustion of gunpowder can be achieved by introducing a phlegmatizer into the outer layers of a single-channel powder grain.

When burning gunpowder, three phases are distinguished: ignition, ignition, combustion.

ignition- this is the excitation of the combustion process in any part of the powder charge by quickly heating this part to the ignition temperature, which is 270-3200 for smoke powders, and about 2000 for smokeless powders.

Ignition is the propagation of the flame over the surface of the charge.

Combustion- this is the penetration of the flame into the depth of each grain of gunpowder.

The change in the amount of gases formed during the combustion of gunpowder per unit time affects the nature of the change in gas pressure and the speed of the bullet along the bore. Therefore, for each type of cartridges and weapons, a powder charge of a certain composition, shape and mass is selected.

Pyrotechnic compositions are mixtures of combustible substances (magnesium, phosphorus, aluminum, etc.) oxidizers(chlorates, nitrates, etc.) and cementers(natural and artificial resins, etc.). In addition, they contain special impurities: substances that color the flame; substances that reduce the sensitivity of the composition, etc.

The predominant form of transformation of pyrotechnic compositions under normal conditions of their use is combustion. Burning, they give the corresponding pyrotechnic (fire) effect (lighting, incendiary, etc.).

Pyrotechnic compositions are used to equip lighting and signal cartridges, tracer and incendiary compositions of bullets, grenades, shells, etc.

Ammunition, their classification

Ammunition(munitions) - an integral part of weapons, directly intended for the destruction of manpower and equipment, the destruction of structures (fortifications) and the performance of special tasks (lighting, smoke, the transfer of propaganda literature, etc.). Ammunition includes: artillery rounds, warheads of rockets and torpedoes, grenades, aerial bombs, charges, engineering and naval mines, land mines, smoke bombs.

Ammunition is classified by affiliation: artillery, aviation, naval, rifle, engineering; by the nature of the explosive and damaging substance: with conventional explosives and nuclear.

The armies of a number of capitalist countries also have chemical (fragmentation-chemical) and biological (bacteriological) munitions.

By purpose, ammunition is divided into main (for destruction and destruction), special (for lighting, smoke, radio interference, etc.) and auxiliary (for training crew crews, special tests, etc.).

Artillery ammunition include shots with shells for various purposes: fragmentation, high-explosive fragmentation, high-explosive, armor-piercing, cumulative, concrete wallpaper, incendiary, with ready-made submunitions, smoke, chemical, tracer, lighting, propaganda, sighting and target designation, practical, training and training.

For firing at the first artillery pieces, spherical shells (nuclei) and incendiary shells in the form of combustible mixture bags were used. In the fifteenth century iron, lead, then cast iron cannonballs appeared, which made it possible, while maintaining the energy of their impact, to reduce the caliber, increase the mobility of the guns and at the same time increase the firing range. From the sixteenth century buckshot with cast-iron or lead bullets began to be used, inflicting heavy losses on infantry and cavalry. In the second half of the XVI century. explosive projectiles were invented: thick-walled cast-iron balls with an internal cavity for breaking the charge. Subsequently, in Russian artillery they were called grenades (with a mass of up to l-th pood inclusive) and bombs (with a mass of more than l-th pood). In the eighteenth century explosive shells began to be divided into fragmentation, giving a large number of fragments to destroy living targets, and high-explosive - to destroy structures. The so-called grenade buckshot appeared, each element of which was a small explosive grenade. The so-called brandkugels were used as incendiary projectiles, consisting of the body of an ordinary explosive projectile filled with an incendiary composition. Incendiary elements were also invested in explosive projectiles for combined target destruction.

Found the use of lighting and smoke shells. At the beginning of the XIX century. Englishman Shrapnel developed the first fragmentation projectile with ready-made fragments, which in all its modifications received the name of the inventor. By the middle of the XIX century. smoothbore artillery reached its highest development. However, the range of its firing and the effectiveness of the ball projectiles used were very insignificant. Therefore, the improvement of artillery went along the line of creating rifled guns and oblong projectiles, which began to be widely used from the 60s. 19th century This made it possible to significantly increase the range and improve the accuracy of fire, as well as increase the efficiency of shells. At that time, grenades, shrapnel, buckshot, incendiary shells were used in field artillery, and armor-piercing shells appeared in naval and coastal artillery to destroy armored ships. Until the 80s. 19th century Smoke powder served as a throwing and explosive projectile. In the mid 80s. smokeless powder was invented, the widespread use of which since the 90s. 19th century led to an increase in the range of artillery by almost two times. At the same time, the equipment of shells with blasting explosives began with pyroxylin, melinite, and from the beginning of the 20th century. - TNT, etc.

By the beginning of the First World War, the artillery of all armies consisted mainly of high-explosive shells and shrapnel. Fragmentation grenades were also used in German artillery to fire at open live targets. To combat aircraft, anti-aircraft shrapnel and remote grenades were used. The appearance of tanks led to the development of anti-tank artillery with armor-piercing shells. Chemical and special projectiles (smoke, lighting, tracer, etc.) were also used. Increased consumption of artillery ammunition. If Germany is at war with France in 1870-71. spent 650 thousand shots, Russia in the war with Japan 1904-05. - 900 thousand, then in 1914-18. shell consumption was: Germany - about 275 million, Russia - up to 50 million, Austria-Hungary - up to 70 million, France about 200 million, England - about 170 million. The total consumption of artillery ammunition during the First World War exceeded 1 billion

In the Soviet Army in the 30s. the modernization of artillery was successfully carried out, and during the years of the first five-year plans, new models of guns and shells for them were developed, and rocket artillery was created. For the first time, 82-mm caliber rockets were successfully used from aircraft in 1939 in battles on the river. Khalkhin Gol. At the same time, lZ2-mm M-13 rockets were developed (for the legendary Katyushas and aircraft weapons), and a little later, 300-mm M-30 rockets. Great development before the war and during it received mortars - smooth-bore guns that fire feathered projectiles (mines). New types of armor-piercing shells were created: sub-caliber (with a solid core, the diameter of which is less than the caliber of the barrel) and cumulative (providing a directional effect of the explosion). The Great Patriotic War consumed a huge amount of ammunition, and the Soviet industry coped with this task.

In total, during the war, she produced over 775 million artillery shells and mines. After World War II, anti-tank guided missiles (missiles) appeared in service with the armies of a number of states. They fire from launchers from armored personnel carriers, vehicles, helicopters, as well as from portable launchers. The control of these projectiles in flight is carried out by wire, by radio, in an infrared beam or a laser beam. Active-rocket projectiles, projectiles for recoilless rifles are being improved, specialized ammunition of increased efficiency and ammunition for cluster munitions are being created. To defeat manpower and equipment, ammunition is created with fragments of a given shape and mass and with ready-made lethal elements (balls, rods, cubes, arrows). Fragments are obtained by applying cuts on the outer or inner surface of the body (when it breaks, it is crushed into cuts) or by creating a special surface of an explosive projectile with elementary cumulative grooves (when it breaks, the body is crushed by cumulative jets) and other methods. Improved cumulative shells. Cluster parts of rockets, rockets and artillery shells are being developed with a large number of cumulative feathered combat elements, scattered at a certain height to destroy tanks from above. Work is underway to create rocket and artillery shells that provide remote mining of the terrain with anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. High-explosive-armor-piercing projectiles with a flattening warhead loaded with plastic explosives are widely used. When meeting with a target, the head of such a projectile is crushed and comes into contact with the armor over a large area. The explosive charge is undermined by a bottom fuse, which ensures a certain direction of the explosion. On the opposite side of the armor, large fragments break off, hitting the crew and internal equipment of the tank. In order to improve the accuracy of shooting, work is underway to create the simplest flight control systems and homing heads for projectiles. From the 50s. in the United States, nuclear weapons are being created for artillery systems.

Aviation ammunition was first used in 1911-12. in the war between Italy and Turkey and in a relatively short time received significant development. They include aviation bombs, one-time bomb clusters, bomb bundles, incendiary tanks, cartridges for aircraft machine guns and cannons, warheads for guided and unguided aircraft missiles, warheads for aircraft missiles, warheads for aircraft torpedoes, aircraft mines, etc.

Disposable bomb cassettes - thin-walled air bombs equipped with aircraft mines (anti-tank, anti-personnel, etc.) or small bombs (anti-tank, fragmentation, incendiary, etc.) weighing up to 10 kg. In one cassette there can be up to 100 or more mines (bombs), which are scattered in the air by special powder or explosive charges, activated by remote fuses at a certain height above the target. Bomb bundles - devices in which several aircraft bombs are connected by special devices into one suspension. Depending on the design of the bundle, the separation of bombs occurs either at the moment of dropping from an aircraft, or in the air after dropping a remote device. The cartridges of aviation machine guns and cannons differ from the usual ones due to the specifics of aviation weapons (high rate of fire, small calibers, dimensions, etc.). The most common calibers of aviation bullets are 7.62 and 12.7 mm, shells - 20,23,30 and 37 mm. Shells with an explosive shell (high-explosive, fragmentation, etc.) have fuses that fire with a slight delay after hitting an obstacle. The fuses can have self-liquidators, which, after a certain time after the shot, detonate shells in the air that did not hit the target, ensuring the safety of ground troops during air combat over their own territory. Warheads of aviation missiles have conventional or nuclear charges. They can be delivered to targets by air-to-air missiles at a range of up to several tens of kilometers, by air-to-ground missiles at hundreds of kilometers. Unguided rockets have conventional (rarely nuclear) warheads, a rocket engine (powder, liquid) and shock or proximity fuses. Their range reaches 10 km or more. Aircraft mines (anti-tank, anti-personnel, sea, etc.) are designed to lay minefields on land and sea from the air.

Marine munitions include naval and coastal artillery rounds, mines, depth charges, missile and torpedo warheads used by the navy to destroy naval targets. Ship and coastal artillery ammunition includes artillery rounds of various calibers and capacities. They use fragmentation tracer, high-explosive fragmentation, high-explosive and armor-piercing shells. Mines, first used at the end of the 18th century, remain an effective positional means of combating surface ships and submarines. Anchor galvanic shock mines of relatively low power were replaced by anchor, bottom, floating mines of high power, triggered by various physical fields of the ship. The torpedo, as an underwater projectile, entered service with ships in the second half of the 19th century and retains its importance as an effective means of destroying surface ships and submarines.

The depth charge, which appeared during the First World War, is an effective means of destroying submarines at considerable distances and various depths. The basis of the weapons of the modern Navy (Navy) is missile weapons with warheads in nuclear and conventional warheads. It can hit objects at ranges of several thousand kilometers.

Artillery and naval munitions include reactive munitions, which include unguided projectiles of land and sea multiple launch rocket systems, grenades (melee weapons).

Rocket munitions are delivered to the target due to the thrust generated during the operation of the rocket engine. They leave the guide launchers (leave the barrel of grenade launchers) at relatively low speeds, and acquire full speed in flight at the end of the active part of the trajectory.

An intermediate position between artillery and rocket projectiles is occupied by the so-called active rocket projectiles (mines), which combine the properties of conventional (active) and rocket projectiles. They are fired from artillery guns with an initial speed close to the speed of conventional projectiles. Due to the reactive charge that burns up during the flight of the projectile in the air, a certain increase in its speed and firing range is obtained. Rocket-active projectiles have the disadvantages of rocket projectiles, as well as reduced target efficiency.

Shooting ammunition is intended for direct destruction of enemy manpower and military equipment. They are unitary cartridges consisting of a bullet, a powder charge and a primer, united by a sleeve.

They are subdivided: according to the nature of the action of the bullet - with ordinary and special bullets (single and combined action); depending on the type of weapon in which they are used, on a pistol (revolver), machine gun, rifle and large-caliber.

Engineering ammunition - means of engineering weapons containing explosives and pyrotechnic compositions; mines, charges (demining, demining) and explosives.

Nuclear ammunition is designed to destroy critical targets. They are in service with the missile forces, aviation, navy, in the US Army, in addition, artillery and engineering units. These include the head (combat) parts of missiles, aerial bombs, artillery shells, torpedoes, depth charges and engineering mines equipped with nuclear charges.

Chemical Ammunition (foreign) is equipped with poisonous substances (S) of various persistence and toxicity and is intended for the destruction of enemy manpower, contamination of weapons, military equipment, food, water and terrain. These include chemical artillery and rocket projectiles, mines, aerial bombs, elements of missile warheads and aircraft clusters, land mines, etc.

Biological Ammunition (foreign) is equipped with biological (bacterial) agents and is intended to destroy people, animals and plants.

Depending on the method of transferring a biological formulation to a combat state, there are: explosive ammunition; with mechanical opening; devices that convert a biological formulation into an aerosol state under the influence of an air flow or pressure of inert gases.

Special ammunition is used to smoke and illuminate the area, deliver propaganda literature, facilitate zeroing, target designation, etc.

These include: smoke, sighting and target designation, lighting, tracer, propaganda shells (mines, bombs), lighting and signal cartridges, etc.

The fundamental difference between special ammunition is that their internal cavity is filled not with an explosive charge, but with smoke, lighting, tracer compounds, leaflets. They also have fuses (tubes) and expelling or small bursting charges to open the case in the air or when hitting an obstacle.

Signal and lighting cartridges are shots that eject shells with a pyrotechnic composition (stars), when burned, colored lights (smoke) are formed as signals, or white (yellow) fire to illuminate the area.

Special ammunition is widely used to support combat operations.

Weapon caliber the diameter of the bore of a firearm (for rifled weapons in the USSR and a number of countries it is determined by the distance between opposite fields of rifling; in the USA, Great Britain and other countries by the distance between rifling), as well as the diameter of the projectile (mines, bullets) by its largest cross section.

The caliber of a weapon is usually expressed in linear units: inches (25.4 mm), lines (2.54 mm), mm. In the XVI-XIX centuries. the caliber of the weapon was determined by the mass of the cannonball (for example, a 12-pound cannon).

Gun caliber is sometimes specified in hundredths (US) or thousandths (UK) of an inch. For example, .22 (5.6 mm), .380 (9 mm).

Often the caliber of a weapon is used to express so-called relative values, such as barrel length. The caliber of hunting rifles is indicated by the number of ball bullets cast from one English pound (453.6 g) of lead;

The caliber of an aviation bomb is its mass in kg.

More than once or twice in recent years, our mass media, especially television, have hysterically informed the broad masses about the “criminally negligent attitude of the military towards ammunition”, about “another deadly find”, about those discovered in the forest (at a shooting range, an abandoned military camp, on exercise venue), etc. etc. shells, rockets, mines. Very willingly and in detail, television shows these "terrible finds", interviews excited inhabitants, stigmatizes "criminals in uniform", demands that the "blatant bungling" be investigated and those responsible be severely punished. By the way, for some reason, yesterday's students are especially excited, who received a minimum of military training in military departments, but who imagine themselves to be major experts in military affairs.

And every time, my eye habitually fixes with boredom the white stripes on the shells of the mines, the distinct inscriptions "inert", the black color of the "unexploded" shells. All these finds are no more dangerous than an old harrow, or, say, an old (out of order) typewriter.

In this article, the author wants to try to teach non-military people to distinguish training, completely harmless engineering ammunition from really dangerous combat mines, fuses. Maybe then someone will not have to, leaving an exciting mushroom picking or throwing a rake, grabbing their children in an armful, rush to the phone to notify the authorities about the find. Or vice versa, you don’t have to put your life in mortal danger, bringing home a small elegant gray shell with black letters (it’s a sin to hide, it happens that the shell doesn’t fly where it’s supposed to, and the valiant army lost entire rockets).

First of all, in contrast to artillery training (inert) ammunition, which, to distinguish them from combat ones, are painted not in gray, but in black, in contrast to naval ammunition, in which the warhead of training torpedoes, mines, shells, missiles is painted red -white color, engineering ammunition, both combat and training, training and simulation are painted the same way. The color of engineering ammunition can be different - green, black, dirty yellow, brown, gray, bare metal, etc.

It is possible to distinguish between combat and training (inert), training and simulation engineering ammunition by marking.

Small-sized ammunition such as fuses, blasting caps, electric detonators, on which it is impossible to place alphanumeric markings, have the following distinguishing features:
* training (inert) - white stripe;
* training and simulation - red stripe. These ammunition, when fired, either give off a flash of flame, or colored smoke, or make a sharp sound, a pop. It is impossible to suffer much from them, but it is possible to get injured.
* combat - without colored stripes. These items are deadly.

The figure shows the detonator caps No. 8 in full size. Two upper combat (aluminum above, copper below). The third from the top is training, the lowest is training and simulation. You just want to turn these beautiful shiny silver or golden tubes in your hands, sort them out, play with them, children often take them in their mouths. The result of the explosion in the hands of the detonator cap is three severed fingers and a gouged eye (standard!). Caps, igniters, electric detonators, fuses have exactly the same marking.

Recently, some small-sized training ammunition began to be marked with the letter AND. For example, PFM-1 training mines are marked this way.

Anti-tank mines made of metal and wood are usually painted green (rarely dirty yellow). The mines are marked on the side of the body with black paint. The top number indicates the item number. Below is the code of the product. Usually this is the brand of mine (TM-46, TMD-B, etc.). Even lower is the triple number, written with hyphens. The first number is the number of the equipment factory, the second is the number of the batch of mines, the third is the year the mine was equipped. At the very bottom, the code of the explosive used in the mine is indicated. Usually you can find the following ciphers: A-50, A-80, G, PVV-4, MS, TGA, TG-50, TG-30, T, Tetr, TN. These or other alphanumeric combinations just indicate that this is a military mine. The training mine in place of the BB cipher has a white horizontal stripe.

Training mines TM-62M and all mines of later developments, in addition, on the side of the body still have a black inscription INERT., or INERTN., or INERT.

Training mines are equipped with a mixture of cement and rosin. This the mixture is identical in weight and volume to TNT, but it is absolutely not dangerous.

The upper part of the training mines TM-46, in addition, is painted white, as shown in the figure, where the training mine TM-46 is shown on the left, the combat mine on the right. Mines TM-57 and later do not have white coloring of the upper part of the hull.

Exactly the same markings on plastic cases. On shells of anti-tank mines made of polyethylene, where the paint does not hold well, the markings may be embossed, i.e. having no color. However, a white stripe is also applied on the polyethylene cases of training mines.

Other placement of markings on anti-tank mines is also possible (for example, on the bottom of the hull or on its upper part). However, in all cases, the body of the training mine will have at least a white stripe or the inscription "inert" or both at the same time.

On anti-personnel mines, the marking is the same, but placed in place, i.e. where it is more convenient to do so. The figure shows a training anti-personnel mine PMN. The marking is placed on the rubber cover. The inscription "inert" and a white stripe are clearly visible. At the PMN combat mine, the explosive font is placed in place of the white stripe.

Engineer ammo boxes are usually painted dark green, rarely unpainted. The side wall is marked with black paint. The top row - the code of the product and the number of products in the box, below, through hyphens, the code of the manufacturer, batch number, year of manufacture, below the code of the explosive with which the products are equipped. For boxes with training ammunition, "INERT" is written in this place and an additional white stripe is applied on the side. For boxes with imitation ammunition, the stripe is red. Below all the gross weight of the box. In addition to these mandatory markings, boxes can be marked with a cargo capacity in the form of a black triangle with a number in the center (for civilian transport organizations), warning labels (such as: "When transporting by plane, pierce with an awl here", "Afraid of dampness", "Do not turn over", "Flammable cargo", etc.). If different products are packed in one box (for example, TNT checkers of different nomenclature), then their codes and quantities are also indicated on the box.

In the picture on the left is a box with combat mines TM-46, on the right with training ones.

In all cases, inert and live ammunition are not placed together in the same box.

On anti-personnel mines (such as PMD-6M, POMZ-2M), which are manufactured or equipped with explosives and fuses in the troops (and this is allowed only in wartime), there may not be any markings at all. Also, any marking may be absent on Soviet engineering ammunition from the Second World War.

Sources

1. Guide to demolition work. Start approved. eng. Troops of the USSR Ministry of Defense 27.07.67. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1969
2. Manual on military engineering for the Soviet Army. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1984
3. Engineering ammunition. Book one. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1976
4. B.V. Varenyshev and others. Textbook. Military engineering training. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1982
5. B.S. Kolibernov and others. Handbook of an officer of engineering troops. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1989

---***---

From the author An old typewriter, if it's in good working order, is far more dangerous than any mine. It is impossible to imagine how much deadly poison a typewriter, falling into the experienced hands of a green (dollar) journalist, can throw into the brains of people.

About explosives (BB)

Explosion- this is a process of very rapid transformation of an explosive into a large amount of highly compressed and heated gases, which, expanding, produce mechanical work (destruction, movement, crushing, ejection).

Explosive- chemical compounds or mixtures of such compounds that, under the influence of certain external influences, are capable of rapid, self-developing chemical transformation into a large number of gases.

Simply put, an explosion is akin to the combustion of ordinary combustible substances (coal, firewood), but differs from simple combustion in that this process occurs very quickly, in thousandths and ten thousandths of a second. Hence, according to the rate of transformation, the explosion is divided into two types - combustion and detonation.

In an explosive transformation such as combustion, the transfer of energy from one layer of matter to another occurs through heat conduction. A combustion type explosion is characteristic of gunpowder. The process of gas formation is rather slow. Due to this, during the explosion of gunpowder in a confined space (cartridge case, projectile), a bullet, projectile is ejected from the barrel, but the cartridge case, the weapon chamber is not destroyed.

In an explosion of the same type of detonation, the process of energy transfer is caused by the passage of a shock wave through the explosive at supersonic speed (6-7 thousand meters per second). In this case, gases are formed very quickly, the pressure increases instantly to very large values. Simply put, gases don't have time to take the path of least resistance and, in an effort to expand, destroy everything in their path. This type of explosion is characteristic of TNT, RDX, ammonite, and other substances.

In order for the explosion process to begin (further it develops spontaneously), an external influence is necessary, it is required to supply a certain amount of energy to the explosive. External influences are divided into the following types:
1.Mechanical (impact, prick, friction).
2. Thermal (spark, flame, heating)
3. Chemical (chemical reaction of the interaction of any substance with explosives)
4. Detonation (an explosion next to an explosive of another explosive).

Different explosives react differently to external influences. Some of them explode on any impact, others have selective sensitivity. For example, black smoke powder responds well to thermal effects, very poorly to mechanical effects, and practically does not respond to chemical ones. TNT, on the other hand, mainly reacts only to the detonation effect. Capsule compositions (explosive mercury) react to almost any external influence. There are explosives that explode without any visible external influence at all, but the practical use of such explosives is generally impossible.

Depending on the type of explosion and sensitivity to external influences, all explosives are divided into three main groups:
1. Initiating explosives.
2. Brizant explosives.
3. Throwing explosives.

Initiating explosives. They are highly sensitive to external influences. Other characteristics (see below) are usually low. But they have a valuable property - their explosion (detonation) has a detonation effect on blasting and propelling explosives, which are usually not sensitive to other types of external influence at all or have unsatisfactory sensitivity. Therefore, initiating substances are used only to excite the explosion of blasting or propellant explosives. To ensure the safety of the use of initiating explosives, they are packed in protective devices (primer, primer sleeve, primer - detonator, electric detonator, fuse). Typical representatives of initiating explosives: mercury fulminate, lead azide, teneres (TNRS).

Brizantnye VV. This, in fact, is what they say and write about. They are equipped with shells, mines, bombs, rockets, land mines; they blow up bridges, cars, businessmen….
Blasting explosives are divided into three groups according to their explosive characteristics:
*** increased power (representatives - hexogen, heating element, tetryl);
** normal power (representatives - TNT, melinite, plastite);
* reduced power (representatives - ammonium nitrate and its mixtures).

High power explosives are somewhat more sensitive to external influences and therefore they are more often used in a mixture with phlegmatizers (substances that reduce the sensitivity of explosives) or in a mixture with explosives of normal power to increase the power of the latter. Sometimes explosives of increased power are used as intermediate detonators.

Throwing explosives. These are various gunpowders - black smoky, smokeless pyroxylin and nitroglycerin. They also include various pyrotechnic mixtures for fireworks, signal and lighting rockets, lighting projectiles, mines, bombs

All explosives are characterized by a number of data, depending on the values ​​of which the question of the use of a given substance for solving certain problems is decided. The most significant of them are:
1. Sensitivity to external influences.
2. Energy (heat) of explosive transformation.
3. Velocity of detonation.
4. Brisance.
5. Explosiveness.
6. Chemical resistance.
7. Duration and conditions of the working state.
8.Normal state of aggregation.
9. Density.

The properties of explosives can be described quite fully using all nine characteristics. However, in order to understand in general what is usually called power or strength, one can limit oneself to two characteristics: "Brizance" and "High explosiveness".

Brisance- this is the ability of explosives to crush, destroy objects in contact with it (metal, rocks, etc.). The magnitude of brisance indicates how quickly gases are formed during an explosion. The higher the brisance of one or another explosive, the more suitable it is for equipping shells, mines, and air bombs. Such an explosive during an explosion will better crush the body of the projectile, give the fragments the highest speed, and create a stronger shock wave. A characteristic is directly related to brisance - the detonation velocity, i.e., how quickly the explosion process propagates through the explosive substance. Brisance is measured in millimeters (mm). This is a standard unit. There is no need to describe the technique for measuring brisance.

explosiveness- in other words, the performance of explosives, the ability to destroy and throw out of the explosion area, surrounding materials (soil, concrete, brick, etc.). This characteristic is determined by the amount of gases formed during the explosion. The more gases are formed, the more work this explosive can do. Explosiveness is measured in cubic centimeters (cc). This is also a rather arbitrary value.

From this it becomes quite clear that different explosives are suitable for different purposes. For example, for blasting in the ground (in a mine, during the construction of pits, the destruction of ice jams, etc.), an explosive with the highest explosiveness is more suitable, and any brisance is suitable. On the contrary, high brisance is primarily valuable for loading shells, and high explosive is not so important.

Below are these two characteristics of several types of explosives:

From this table it can be seen that ammonite is better suited for digging a pit in the ground, and plastic is better for equipping shells.

However, this is a highly simplified and not entirely correct approach to understanding the power of explosives. I allowed this simplification in order to explain the properties of explosives as simply as possible. In fact, all nine characteristics are closely related to each other, depend on each other, and a change in one of them entails a change in all the others.

There is a simpler, and most importantly, a real way to compare the powers of various explosives. It's called "TNT equivalent". Its essence lies in the fact that the power of TNT is conditionally taken as a unit (approximately the same as the power of one horse was once taken as a unit of machine power). And all other explosives (including nuclear explosives) are compared with TNT. Simply put, how much TNT would have to be taken to produce the same explosive work as a given amount of this explosive. In order not to tire the reader with long calculations and boring formulas, I’ll say it easier: 100g. RDX give the same result as 125 gr. TNT, and 75 gr. TNT will replace 100g. ammonite. It will be even easier to say that high-power explosives are 25 percent stronger than TNT, and low-power explosives are 20-30% weaker than TNT.

Explosives

Ammonium nitrate explosives

Ammonium nitrate explosives include a large group of explosives created on the basis of ammonium nitrate. All of them belong to high explosives of reduced power. That is, when compared with TNT, it is considered. that all of them are 25 percent weaker than TNT. However, this is not entirely true. In terms of brisance, ammonium nitrate explosives, as a rule, are not much inferior to TNT, and in terms of explosiveness they exceed TNT, and some of them are very significant. Ammonium nitrate explosives are more preferable when undermining soils, because due to their high explosiveness they are able to throw more soil out of the explosion area. However, when working in rocky soils, TNT is still preferable, because due to the greater brisance, it crushes rocks better.

Ammonium nitrate explosives are used to a greater extent in the national economy and to a lesser extent in military affairs. The reasons for this use are the significantly lower cost of ammonium nitrate explosives, their significantly lower reliability in use. First of all, this is a significant hygroscopicity of amm. Explosives, due to which, when moistened with more than 3%, such explosives completely lose their ability to explode. These explosives are subject to the phenomenon of caking, due to which they also completely or partially lose their explosiveness. The continuous recrystallization processes in these explosives lead to an increase in the volume they occupy, which can lead to the destruction of the packaging or shells of the ammunition.