US Army Reserve engineers field new mine clearing vehicle
An M1271 Medium Flail Mine Clearing Vehicle is equipped with a rotating flail and 72 chains with fist-sized balls, or hammers, at the end of the chains. As the vehicle drives backwards over the designated area, the flail rotates and the chains dig into the ground tearing mines apart or detonating them. The driver is protected by a deflector shield of armored steel, protecting the both the driver and vehicle against blast pressure and mine fragments.