September 1, 1999

Croatia has deployed a new robot armored vehicle to clear mines. Known as the MV2 or Earth Angel, the vehicle is equipped with a high-speed flail. This device churns the earth down to 20cm, exposing, detonating, and/or breaking up mines and unexploded shells. The area still has to be cleared by hand after the MV2 has gone over it, but with the vegetation stripped away and all external detonators and tripwires destroyed, the process is reportedly much easier. The fragments of broken-up mines and shells are reportedly easier to find and less dangerous than intact mines and shells.--Stephen V Cole