Play

Man-Portable Obstacle Breaching

Play full video

Conventional minefields, booby traps, unexploded ordnance and man-made obstacles, such as triple barbed wires and concertina coil will stall military operations. This has a devastating cost, as operational momentum and surprise once lost is hard to regain.

Time spent clearing enemy obstacles and minefields will severely degrade mission success and expose troops to hostile fire. Creating safe corridors, quickly through minefields and obstacles is essential to maintaining surprise and minimising casualties.

Traditional methods for clearing minefields involve low technology equipment such as grapnels or mechanised minefield clearing equipment. Use of heavy equipment requires combat engineers adding logistical burden to operating forces.

Key design considerations for the system were:

  • Safety – ensuring maximum neutralisation of anti-personnel mine and expose any other ordnance. Additionally, the system needs to be safe to operate.
  • Lightweight – the system needs to be light allowing combatants to carry the system with their standard combat load.
  • Operability – the system was designed to ensure ease of use and remove dependence on combat engineers. Breaching enemy minefields and obstacles under enemy fire is one of the hardest things to do. A well trained infantry soldier is able to deploy the system under 1 minute.
  • Straight line – one of the key requirements whilst creating safe lanes is to ensure these are linear. The system was designed to ensure it creates exceptionally straight safe lanes.

live systems
Overcoming the limitations of existing minefield breaching systems Wescom has developed a state-of-the-art Portable Obstacle and Minefield Breaching System (POMBS). A proven system and product of choice for militaries, elite users and Special Operations Forces. POMBS can also be used for humanitarian land recovery.

  • Heavy Portable Obstacle and Minefield Breaching System (H-POMBS)
  • Light Portable Obstacle and Minefield Breaching System (L-POMBS)
  • Consumable Kits

training systems
TL-POMBS & TH-POMBS replicate operational minefield breaching systems in form and function, but are fully inert.
A pyrotechnic consumables kit, comprising live rocket (smaller than equivalent live system for safety), rocket igniter, detonator simulator and comprehensive instructions to optimize the training experience and minimise recurring costs.

  • Heavy Portable Explosive Minefield Breaching System Training
  • Light Portable Explosive Minefield Breaching System Training
  • Consumable Kit Training

High Heat Energy
The Thermite Torch is a lightweight high heat energy source that can be operated both electrically and non-electrically in order to destroy a specific target.

The Thermite Incendiary Grenade is a hand deployed source of high heat energy for use in a combat environment when there is a need to destroy equipment, conduct general destruction or sabotage operations.

  • Thermite Torch
  • Thermite Incendiary Grenade

survey & Inspection service
Wescom Defence offers a survey and inspection service to ensure POMBS are fit for purpose and safe to use post-delivery. The system is visibly inspected, then ,if required, a more comprehensive audit of the ignitor and rocket motors conducted. This typically involves testing thrust and pressure generated.

Survey and inspection services are conducted by Wescom Defence specialist technicians. A detailed report on system operability is generated. this enbales the responsible authority to make informed decisions. This could include replacement, repair, overhaul or procurement of sub components to extend the system life. Allowing our customers to effectively discharge safety and duty of care obligations.

Operator training

Wescom Defence offers comprehensive training programs for POMBS. Training is delivered by our specialist technicians. This provides a comprehensive overview of the technical aspects of system components, assembles and sub-assembles, operating procesfure, safety aspects, logistics information (including ammunition categorisation), and qualification.

Our specialists can also carry out learning needs analysis, to confirm where specific training skills are required. Wescom Defence training courses can be tailored to meet specific customer requirements and adjusted to meet student’s competence and skill levels. At the end of the training, successful candidates will be certified to safely move, store and effectively operate the POMBS.