Demining machine assembled in Ukraine was tested at training ground
According to Ukrinform, the press service of the Ministry of Economy reports.
"For the first time, the tests were carried out in accordance with a pilot project developed by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and approved by the government for the mandatory certification of mechanized demining equipment (Resolution No. 271)," the statement said.
It is noted that MV-4 has been tested on three types of soil (sand, gravel, black soil), areas with dense vegetation, as well as survivability tests - a series of explosions of about 600 grams of TNT equivalent. After the tests, the certification procedure will be carried out.
The large-scale assembly of the MV-4 demining machine is carried out by the Ukrainian company A3tech, which has been cooperating with the Croatian manufacturer DOK-ING since 2020. The share of localization in the machine that was tested was 15%. Ukrainian specialists manufactured the working shaft and elements of the machine's working body. By the end of the year, the manufacturers plan to increase the level of localization to 25-30%.
"The localization and scaling up of production will not only allow us to manufacture, service and promptly repair DOK-ING machines in Ukraine, but also create additional jobs. This means both the development of our economy and increased opportunities for humanitarian demining. In addition, it is also a signal to foreign investors that projects can be implemented in Ukraine even despite the war that Russia has unleashed against us," said Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy.
As reported, Ukraine has more than 170,000 square kilometers of potentially contaminated areas that need to be surveyed for mines and explosives. Much of it is agricultural land. In order to bring them back into use as quickly as possible, the Ministry of Economy will introduce a state program in April to compensate farmers for the costs of clearing farmland of explosive ordnance, reimbursing 80% of the funds needed for demining.
The MV-4 is a lightweight robotic demining and explosive ordnance disposal machine. The machine can clear an area of up to 1500 square meters in an hour. It is controlled by a remote control with a range of up to 1500 meters.