§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the(a) maximum timed life and (b) self-destruct reliability of (i) area denial and (ii) land mine systems presently in active service with British forces. [391]
409W
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe systems concerned are the HB876 sub-munition of the JP233 area denial weapon and the MLRS AT2 scatterable mine. Self-destruction will normally take place in a matter of hours for the HB876; its self-destruct reliability is currently being assessed. The AT2 mine self-destructs within days and has a reliability which has been evaluated as over 99 per cent. Additionally, in each case mine detonation relies on a short-life battery, and any mine that fails to self-destruct will deactivate within a further short period. Precise self-destruction timings for both mines are classified.
There is no other area denial weapon in service with the British armed forces, and no other land mine system in service which has a maximum timed life or a self-destruct capability.