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Background  —  RSD Husky  T/MDV  Towing Mine Detecting Vehicle

Husky: a Sled Dog With No Sled By RSD (Rolling Stock Division, DCD-Dorbyl) [1] The new Expedient Route Opening Capability system will search for buried IEDs and mines. EROC consists of three vehicle types: the US Cougar and Buffalo carry the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team and manipulate any IED or mine, respectively.  The South African Husky is the detector vehicle,  with “landmine overpass capability”. From its inception, RSD designed the Husky as a  mine-detector using its liftable side arrays. But the Husky was part of RSD’s Chubby system (Interim Vehicle-Mounted Mine Detector in the US) and has been overshadowed by its partner, the Meerkat.

In the Chubby/ IVMMDS scheme, the Husky is a tractor, towing a line of mine-detonating trailers (below).[2] As a result, a Husky is more powerful than its Meerkat stable- mate, which lacks the Husky’s full-time four-wheel drive. A Husky has a low enough ground pressure that it can roll over mines. Should any mine detonate, its front and rear suspensions and  axles packages will be sacrificed.  Red Pack kits to quickly replace these components in the field are generally part of the Husky package. [3]

Ground Standoff Mine Detection System –  A GSTAMIDS North? The US  GSTAMIDS is an evolution of the IVMMDS where the Mine Detector Vehicle is remotely-controlled  from the Buffalo, right. This is similar in concept to ILDS Remote Detection Vehicles. [4] With  more tractable Huskys  standing in for US Meerkats, the CF could have its own GSTAMIDS in Afghanistan.[5]

[1] The Husky was developed by RSD’s military division in the ’90s for the South African armed forces. The entire Chubby procession is called the “Meerkat Mobile Mine-Detection System” in South Africa, showing the importance place on that lighter two-wheel drive Mine Detector Vehicle.  However, a subordinate towing role for the Husky created an alternative MDV with superior cross-country capabilities. [2] The trailers towed by the IVMMDS Husky in its Towing Mine Detection Vehicle (T/MDV) mode fall into three groups. Most important are the 3 x Mine Detonation Trailers (MDT),  dubbed Duisendpoot (Millipede) for their many heavy wheels, offset for maximum coverage. [3] There are two Red-Packs (Spare Wheel Module and Towing Frames)  and one Blue-Pack (spare engine and major maintenance parts). [4] The tele-operated MDV uses ground-penetrating radar, infrared cameras, and  metal detectors  as on CF ILDS project vehicles. Like the Husky, the MDV has retractable sensor arms on either side of the cab which are lowered pneumatically for use,  raised / secured when not operational. When configured for mine/IED detection, a Husky can cover a 3-meter wide swath at 35 km/h, averaging about 200km per day. [5] This may be what DND had in mind for the Expedient Route Opening Capability system from the outset. Operational usefulness aside, there would also be training advantages to operating a system closely related to that used by the US military –  training being included in the separate Cougar/Buffalo deal signed with Force Protection Inc and arranged through a Foreign Military Sale via the US Marine Corps.