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Ukraine partially localizes production of Croatian MV-4 demining vehicle

Ukraine has localized the production of the MV-4 mine clearance vehicle at 15% and plans to increase this to 25-30% by year-end, enhancing demining efforts during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.

byYuri Zoria

05/04/2024

3 minute read

MV-4, a light category mine clearance and explosive ordnance (EOD) disposal robotic system, produced by the Croatian form DOK-ING and being localized in Ukraine. Photo: Ukraine’s Finance Ministry.

Ukraine partially localizes production of Croatian MV-4 demining vehicle

Ukraine has made significant progress in localizing the production of the Croatian-made MV-4 light mine clearance vehicle, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy. The MV-4 is a robotic demining and explosive ordnance disposal system that has undergone comprehensive testing and evaluation in Ukraine.

As of spring 2023, there were approximately 500 demining teams or up to 5,000 military engineers/deminers working in Ukraine. At this rate, it would take around 20 years to clear 4,700 km². Assuming all 174,000 km² of Ukrainian territory affected by combat is contaminated, it would take 757 years to clear all affected areas with such a human resource capacity.

The localization process, which is being carried out by the Ukrainian enterprise A3tech in collaboration with the Croatian manufacturer DOK-ING, is currently at 15%. However, the plan is to increase the level of localization to 25-30% by the end of the year., according to the report

“Localization and scaling of production will allow for the manufacturing, servicing, and prompt repair of DOK-ING machines in Ukraine,” commented Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko.

The MV-4 demining machine was tested according to an experimental project developed by the Ministry of Economy and approved by Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers. This project aimed to establish mandatory certification for mechanized demining equipment, ensuring the highest standards of safety and performance.

MV-4 robotic system

MV-4 has reportedly proven its capabilities during these rigorous tests, which were conducted on various soil types, including sand, gravel, and black soil, as well as in areas with dense vegetation. Additionally, the machine underwent blast resistance tests, demonstrating its ability to withstand the detonation of up to 600 grams of TNT equivalent.

The MV-4 is known for its low profile and robust construction, making it highly resistant to the detonation of anti-personnel mines and unexploded ordnance. It can also withstand the explosion of anti-tank mines and has the capacity to clear an area of up to 1,500 square meters per hour. The machine is operated using a remote control with a range of up to 1,500 meters, allowing for safe and efficient demining operations.

Mine/UXO contamination

Last September, Ukraine’s PM Denys Schmyhal said approximately 174,000 square kilometers in Ukraine were potentially mined or contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO), a vast area that could take decades to clear. Ukraine’s mine-contaminated area is significantly larger than Greece and nearly twice the size of Hungary.

With a vast territory contaminated by explosives, Ukraine is actively maximizing demining efforts during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, rather than waiting for its conclusion. These efforts include continuous demining work by teams from various domestic agencies, including the army and the emergency service. Additionally, multiple international teams are engaged in humanitarian demining. Various countries are contributing by donating their demining equipment to expedite the process. The efforts also involve the development of domestic demining tools and the localization of foreign equipment production.

Last fall, Ukraine rolled out its first indigenous mine clearance vehicle in the Kharkiv Oblast after four months of prototype testing, as announced by Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration. Syniehubov stated that this new clearance vehicle is “the first of our Kharkiv production,” noting that the region now possesses a total of nine mine-clearing machines, with this being the first manufactured in Ukraine.

In early March, Ukraine’s Economy Ministry announced a partnership with American big data analytics company Palantir to utilize artificial intelligence tools for accelerating and coordinating humanitarian demining processes as part of national rebuilding efforts following the Russian invasion. The agreement, signed during a visit to the UK, aims to leverage Palantir’s AI platform to digitize and expedite demining operations, prioritizing regions, adopting new methods like drones, and managing risk for faster and cost-effective clearance.

The localization of the MV-4 production in Ukraine is a significant step towards enhancing the country’s demining capabilities.