Tilt-rod fuze
A tilt-rod fuze is a device used to trigger anti-vehicle landmines. Typically it consists of a vertical pole, normally around a meter high, which is connected to the top of a landmine. When the track or main body of a vehicle passes over the mine, the rod is tilted, releasing a spring-loaded striker which triggers a pyrotechnic delay of approximately half a second, followed by detonation of the main explosive charge. The small time delay allows the vehicle to continue over the mine before detonating, exposing more of it to the blast. A tilt-rod fuze has a number of advantages over pressure fuzes - it acts across the entire width of a vehicle, rather than just its tracks or tires.[N 1] This allows it to attack the vehicle's belly and potentially cause a catastrophic kill.[1] Additionally, tilt rod fuzes tend to be resistant to blast overpressure clearing methods, which can trigger most pressure fuzes.
![](../I/m/M15_mine_diagram.jpg)
![](../I/m/TM-57_held_with_tilt_fuze.jpg)
The main disadvantage is the visible rod mechanism, which may be negated by laying the mine in undergrowth. In any case, minefields containing anti-tank mines with tilt rods may also include other designs of mine which are entirely buried (e.g. the M19 anti-tank mine) plus various antipersonnel mines intended to hinder people removing mines.
Notes
- For this reason, a mine fitted with a tilt-rod is often referred to as a "full width attack" mine.
References
- Barrett Hazeltine; Christopher Bull (2003). Field Guide to Appropriate Technology. Academic Press. p. 853.