Mine-clearing machine Freeland 3000

Mine-clearing machines are divided into three classes:

Light: Machines below 5 metric tons
Medium: Machines between 5-20 metric tons
Heavy: Machines over 20 metric tons

Freeland 3000 weighs close to 20 metric tons and is thus classified as a machine in the medium segment.

The foremost qualities of the Freeland 3000 are :

1. A relatively light machine that can operate even in weak soil conditions. The chassis is articulated and the wheels are outside the blast zone, which also contributes to driver safety. It is self transportable over short distances. It can be transported on the roads without special permission.

2. Mechanical power transmission to the flail with less than 10% loss gives a force to the flail hitherto unheard of and no cooling problems with hydrostatics. The machine can operate in extreme temperatures.

3. A very effective flail with tiller characteristics which combine the best of the two techniques. Dense vegetation is not a problem and in tests the machine has reached very good results. In the ITEP test 2008 all 450 mines were destroyed.

Freeland 3000 is based on a Rottne F9 forestry machine. Rottne is a global brand and very well reputed worldwide after more than 50 years in the business.

An air cooled Deutz 480 HP diesel engine drives the flail unit via a mechanical transmission system. The mechanical transmission avoids the problem of cooling large quantities of hydraulic oil. Less than 10% of the engine power is lost in the transmission, giving the Freeland 3000 a force unparalleled in the market. The engine is protected by an armoured case between the driver’s cabin and the flail unit. The case easily opens up so as to serve as a working base for the mechanic, whenever engine maintenance is needed. Based on our experience, the air-cooled engine offers a far higher reliability than any other system, even in extremely hot environments

We have put a great effort into the development of the 42 hammer-shaped tools, made from specially tempered Swedish steel, with a weight of approximately 10 kg a piece, chain included. The 3 link chains are also composed of tempered Swedish steel. The tools have a periphery speed of approximately 40 metres per sec , which means that the impact force from each tool is over 25 tonnes when it pounds the ground approximately 7 times per second! In the official tests absolutely no mines ”survived” these attacks. No other machine tested at SWEDEC has performed so well. The tools also proved to withstand the pounding of large granite rocks without noticeable wear. Neither do trees up to 25cm width pose any problem.

Freeland 3000 film

Watch in High Definition; click here (opens in new window).

The Freeland 3000 underwent testing at the Swedish Army’s EOD and Demining Centre (SWEDEC) in August 2008. The tests were done according to standards set by the International Test and Evaluation Program for Humanitarian Demining (ITEP).

The whole report may be found following the link below, but allow us to share this:

450 out of 450 mines were either exploded, disarmed or destroyed by Freeland 3000

http://www.itep.ws/pdf/SwedecFreeland3000CWA_2008.pdf