News. MineWolf Systems operational in Northern Sudan. MineWolf machines aid Border Security in Tajikistan. Issue

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1 Issue Inside this issue: MineWolf Systems operational in Northern Sudan 1 MineWolf machines aid Border Security in Tajikistan 1 Mini MineWolf demonstrates productivity in Cyprus 2 UXB International uses the Mini MineWolf in Afghanistan 3 Updates from the Balkans 4 NPA continues to use their Mini MineWolf to assist communities in Bosnia 5 MineWolf Systems operational in Northern Sudan In June MineWolf Systems were given a new twelve month contract to operate and maintain the UN MineWolf in the North of Sudan. After five years of operating in Southern Sudan, this is the first time a MineWolf machine has worked in the North. The contract links MineWolf Systems and The Development Initiative (TDI) as contract partners. TDI is managing the contract and supplying the manual and medical support whilst Minewolf MW370 operating in Northern Sudan Systems has the mechanical asset and mechanical operating team on the ground. The team is working well together. It is the first time TDI has worked with a MineWolf and following their accreditation in early July, the grouping is now operational. We have been looking forward to an opportunity to work with and get some hands on experience of the MineWolf solutions and although it s early days we are thrilled with the professionalism of the team, the service support offered and the machine itself said Hugh Morris, Director of TDI. The machine is working initially in Hamash Korieb in Kassala State. It will remain there for the next 3 months until about October when the rains will be coming to an end and then it will move to operations in Blue Nile State based out of the TDI HQ there in Ad Damazin. MineWolf products attract Interest at Defence Exhibitions 6 MineWolf machines aid Border Security in Tajikistan MineWolf Systems has been working with the Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the US Government to equip and train mechanical demining teams to secure the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The aim of the border clearance operation is to remove the existing antipersonnel minefields along the border with Afghanistan so as to make the region safer and to ensure that the border can be correctly and safely policed by the Tajikistan Border Guards. The Tajikistan border region contains some 607 anti-personnel minefields that will all eventually be cleared. The Mini MineWolf arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in April 2010, and was moved to the border in the district of Pyanj where the OSCE Tajik Mechanical Demining Team undertook a four week operator and mechanic training course conducted by MineWolf Systems. The mechanical demining team consists of both professional, and conscript soldiers from the Tajik Army, on secondment to the OSCE. OSCE Mechanical Demining Team completing the MineWolf Operator/Mechanic Training Course p 1

2 Border Area for Clearance Training to operate and maintain the Mini MineWolf Operating in extreme dust conditions Operating in the Border Region Checking Tiller after multiple detonations Mini MineWolf demonstrates productivity in Cyprus Presenting the Mini MineWolf to UN peace-keepers In April a Mini MineWolf with a tiller attachment was contracted along with MineWolf Systems full service package for a twelve month period to conduct clearance of the green line, the UN Buffer Zone between the Greek and Turkish parts of the island. The machine is being fully operated by MineWolf Systems staff for the twelve month contract period as the mechanical component of a clearance project that is run by Group 4 Security (Ordnance Management). In July the Mini MineWolf completed the first batch of minefield verification which included seven minefields in total. During this period the MineWolf Systems staff enabled the machine to produce an average output of 4,500 5,000 square metres of processed land per day, losing just one day in three p 2

3 months due to maintenance requirements. Once the next phase of work begins, the Mini MineWolf will swiftly follow up after the manual deminers carrying out the verification work required to enable the land to be safely used again. Mini MineWolf in Cyprus Mini MineWolf in action along the Green line UXB International uses the Mini MineWolf in Afghanistan By Chris Thompson, Mechanical Demining Manager, UXB International, Bagram Airforce Base, Afghanistan Mini MineWolf loaded onto transport frame in Luxemburg UXB International purchased a Mini MineWolf in March 2010 to operate on our Afghanistan operations. The machine was flown directly into Bagram Airbase in April accompanied on all flights by myself, as UXB s Mechanical Demining Manager. A full workshop and spares package was also purchased and shipped to Afghanistan, and the machine will soon be fitted with the MineWolf camera system to enable the remote operation of the machine in otherwise difficult areas such as the many gullies encountered around Bagram. p 3

4 The Mini MineWolf has been sent directly into operations within Bagram Airforce Base on the US Army Corps of Engineers contract held by UXB International. The main part of the contract is to clear a substantial area of land to the East of the Airbase to allow the base to safely expand its operational ability in the area. We have trained up on site a 4-man operations team of Zimbabwean staff who will operate and carry out all the daily routines required to keep the machine operational in the harsh conditions experienced in Afghanistan. Mini MineWolf operator training ground The Mini MineWolf has already completed one task within the airbase and is now well on its way with the second tasking. The machine has encountered a large anti-personnel minefield and has already detonated a great number of PMN and PMN2 mines with no operational time lost whatsoever. The current taskings for the machine include clearing one area for a new road bridge to be built over a gully and a second area for a new irrigation plant to be constructed inside the base. Hot dusty conditions at Bagram Airbase The main problem we have encountered working within Bagram airbase are all the old wire fences which had originally been used by the Russian forces to mark the defensive minefields laid during their occupation. After the Russians withdrew from Afghanistan the local people removed all the metal posts from the ground for use in other areas, leaving the barbed wire on the ground to become overgrown over time. The wire is almost impossible to spot by the machine operator and occasionally will get wrapped around the machine s rotor; a small inconvenience which has to be dealt with but does not cause a big problem to operations. At UXB, we are very pleased with the machine s capabilities and hope to carry on utilizing the machine s speed and ability to clear areas which would otherwise have to be done using other techniques such as manual demining, which is slow and potentially dangerous to the manual deminers in the operation. Update from the Balkans Mina Plus Mini MineWolf in Croatia The Croatian company Mina Plus has just purchased their first Mini MineWolf machine. This will be the sixth MineWolf product in Croatia, where three MineWolf machines, two Mini MineWolfs and a MineWolf are already operational. Along with the two machines owned by NPA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a total of eight machines are operating in the Balkan region, supported by MineWolf Systems Regional Office in Brcko, Bosnia. p 4

5 Unseasonal weather conditions hampered demining operations in both Croatia and Bosnia at the end of June. The severe flooding in the Slavonia region of Croatia and in northern Bosnia ground all demining operations to a halt for one week, causing unwelcome downtime for demining organisations in what is usually their peak season. Vice-President Adlesic interviewed by Croatian TV where MW370 is working Flooding around NPA s base in Loncari The MineWolf machines have been observed in action by the Croatian Vice-President, Đura Adleši during a recent field visit to Gorice in Dragalic municipality in Slavonia where MKA-Deming was operating with its MineWolf machine. NPA continues to use their Mini MineWolf to assist communities in Bosnia Mini MineWolf in action NPA are using their MineWolf machine for technical survey and mine clearance activities within the Integrated Community Mine Action Plan for the highly impacted community Gornji Vuksic in the Brcko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through this project, the Bosnian Mine Action Centre (BHMAC) has selected six tasks for mine clearance and technical survey operations with a total area of 602,957 sq m as priorities for mine action intervention in According to the BHMAC, it is estimated that there are still approximately 300 anti-personnel and 90 anti-tank mines within 4.8 sq km of suspected hazardous area in the community. The social, economic and environmental impact of landmines in the Gornji Vuksic community is severe. Many destroyed houses, the loss of fertile agricultural land and blocked access to electricity are among the most serious effects for returnees and for the rural development of the community. Mini MineWolf conducting technical survey around houses for returnees p 5

6 Mine clearance and technical survey operations of mine suspected areas will ensure the safe use of arable land and reconstruction of devastated houses with the aim to improve the living conditions of people in this area and complete the return of refugees and displaced people so long after the war has ended. For further information on NPA s activities go to MineWolf products attract Interest at Defence Exhibitions Robotic arm displayed at Eurosatory Global Headquarters, International Sales & Operations Office MineWolf Systems AG Seedammstrasse Pfäffikon SZ Switzerland Phone +41 (0) Fax +41 (0) Manufacturing, Training & Logistics Office MineWolf Systems AG Winterspürer Strasse Stockach Germany Phone +49 (0) Fax +49 (0) In June, MineWolf Systems demonstrated their products at two major military exhibitions and attracted significant interest from various military visitors. From June, MineWolf Systems exhibited at the Eurosatory Exhibition in Paris, billed as Gathering the World Defence Market for the World Reference Exhibition. The MineWolf stand hosted a range of existing and potential customers from the military markets examining the remote-controlled Mini MineWolf machine and tiller attachment on show. The new robotic arm attachment was also on display and was of particular interest to militaries dealing with the challenges of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Tiller attachment at the MineWolf stand On 23 and 24 June, MineWolf Systems exhibited for the first time at the UK event called DVD, hosted by the UK s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S). In contrast to Eurosatory, this was an outside event and MineWolf Systens stand at DVD there was an opportunity to demonstrate the robotic arm actually working. Visitors were invited to see the arm, which was mounted on a Mini MineWolf, picking up objects of various shapes and sizes, simulating the precision movements required to pick up a bomb or improvised explosive device. Once again there was considerable interest in the products. info@minewolf.com p 6