One Step Beyond – Mines – Angola – MAI-75

MAI-75 is a simple plastic-cased Anti-Personnel (AP) blast mine. The mine body is made in two halves which screw together, sealed by an O-ring; the upper section contains the fuze assembly while the base contains the main charge. The pressure plunger, located in the centre of the conical top, bears on a striker spring and the collar in which the striker sits. The striker, which has a firing pin set into it, is retained by two plastic levers which are held in place by a rubber band. The detonator assembly is screwed into the base of the fuze, directly below the firing pin. Until armed, a forked safety pin runs through holes in the plunger adjacent to the body, to prevent any downward movement. Once this safety pin has been removed, the magnetic signature is very low (due to the use of stainless steel components). MAI-75 is normally coloured brown or black.

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