JIG-K
The JIG-K (Menghean: 지뢰, 대인, 공중폭발식 - 큰, Jiroe, Dae-in, Gongjungpokbalsik - Kŭn, "mine, anti-personnel, bounding - large") is a type of large anti-personnel land mine developed in Menghe during the mid-1980s. It comes in two variants, one of which is emplaced by hand, the other of which can be deployed by rocket, aircraft, or artillery shell. It is a bounding mine, designed to launch upward into the air before detonating in order to spread lethal fragments over as wide an area as possible.
Design
The JIG-K's base element resembles of a steel-walled cylinder 17 centimeters high and 10.4 centimeters in diameter, earning it the nickname "tin can" among Menghean mine troops. This consists of an outer cylinder, which is crimped inward at the top, and an inner cylinder, which is 98 centimeters across. The mine can be completely buried with a thin layer of soil on top, leaving only the fuse head exposed.
When the fuse is activated, it ignites a 5-gram propellant charge in the base of the larger cylinder, propelling the inner cylinder containing the mine upwards into the air. A meter-long trigger wire links the projectile inner cylinder to the base, and releases the firing pin when pulled taut, detonating the mine at approximately waist or chest height.
The projectile inner cylinder is surrounded by prefragmeted spherical steel fragments, and has a kill radius of 27 meters. A version with a more powerful bursting charge and smaller cube-shaped fragments, given the additional suffix "N", has a claimed certain kill radius of 40 meters. In both cases, severe injury is still possible up to 200 meters away from the mine. The fragments are large enough to damage thin-skinned vehicles, such as supply trucks and reconnaissance cars, but cannot penetrate the armor of IFVs, APCs, and tanks.
To hinder mine clearance efforts, the JIG-K is also equipped with a seismic anti-handling fuse, which can be detonated by nearby footsteps or by lifting the base off the ground. To reduce the risk posed by unexploded ordnance, it also has a backup fuse which detonates the mine after a certain amount of time has passed. On the manually emplaced JIG-KS, this setting varies from two hours to two weeks, while on the remotely deployed JIG-KJB it is always set to 12 hours.
Variants
JIG-KS
The JIG-KS ("S" indicating Sudong-e, "manual") is the manually emplaced variant of the mine, to be deployed by mine warfare units on the ground. Units equipped with the mine are also issued post hole diggers optimized to form pits of the appropriate dimensions; otherwise, the mine can be buried with a conventional shovel, or by hand in sand and loose soil. Multiple fuse head options are available, from simple pressure triggers to seismic sensors and tripwires up to 50 meters in length.
JIG-KJB
The JIG-KJB ("JB" indicating Jadong Bogwŏnhyŏng, "self-righting") is a variant of the mine designed to be deployed remotely. At its core, it consists of the same unit as the JIG-KS, but adds a cylindrical self-righting assembly with twelve spring-loaded fins on the base and a conical fuse assembly on the top. The latter component projects four 30-meter-long spring-propelled tripwires after the mine lands. Any disturbance to these wires will detonate the mine.
A wide variety of launch platforms exist for the JIG-KJB, including artillery rockets, cruise missiles, cluster bombs, and specialized mine-projecting vehicles. On all but the latter, the JIG-KJB is fitted with a parachute to slow its descent speed and ensure that it does not land upside-down.
Because the mine stands upright, it is relatively easy to identify on open ground, though still dangerous in tall grass or among crops. Some remotely-deployed units have been seen with imitation "leaves" or "grass" attached to the mine exterior, though it is unclear how widely these have proliferated and whether they bear a special designation.
Enhanced charge
Since 2009, Menghe has produced a new variant of the mine with an enhanced explosive charge and cube-shaped shrapnel fragments. Mines built to this standard are given the additional suffix "N" (i.e., JIG-KS-N, JIG-KJB-N). As of the late 2010s, most mines built to the earlier G standard have been retired or moved to reserve units, and the additional suffix is not commonly used.
Specifications
JIG-KS
- Diameter: 104mm
- Height: 170mm to top of cylinder, 267mm with standard fuse
- Weight: 4.9 kg
- Kill Radius: 27-40 m
- Tripwire length: varies with operator's needs
- Self-destruct time: 2 hours to 14 days (variable)
- Anti-handling device: yes
JIG-KJB
- Diameter: 104mm
- Height: 222mm overall
- Weight: 5.0 kg
- Kill Radius: 27-40 m
- Tripwire length: 30 m
- Self-destruct time: 12 hours
- Anti-handling device: yes