The VS-HCT series of mines are Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 plastic cased anti-tank mine

Anti-tank mine

An anti-tank mine, , is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles....

s that use Misznay Schardin effect warheads and have a dual seismic and magnetic fuze. The mines are no longer produced and differ in size and shape.

VS-HCT

The VS-HCT has a circular case with vertical ribbing. The mine can be either mechanically laid or laid by hand and incorporates both electronic and mechanical arming delays. The mines fuze has a battery powered seismic sensor which is used to detect approaching targets, and a magnetic sensor, which triggers the mine at the optimum point. Once triggered the mine fires a clearing charge, which clears up to 100 millimeters of earth that may have been laid on top of the mine. Once the clearing charge has been fired, the main charge is triggered. The main charge throws a heavy metal slug upwards, which is capable of penetrating up to 175 millimeters of armour.

A self neutralizing period of between 1 and 128 days can be selected. The mine's status can also be checked remotely. It has provision for the fitting of an anti-handling device

Anti-handling device

An anti-handling device is an attachment to or integral part of a landmine or other munition e.g. some fuze types found in air-dropped bombs such as the M83, cluster bombs and sea mines. It is specifically designed to prevent tampering. When the protected device is disturbed it detonates, killing...

.

The mine entered series production by the Italian company, Valsella

Valsella Meccanotecnica

Valsella Meccanotecnica SpA was one of Italy's largest manufacturers of mines. The Company's headquarters initially were in Montichiari and with two production plants in Castenedolo near Brescia, Italy....

, in 1978 and was in service with the Italian army. The mine is no longer produced, but has been reported in Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

.

VS-HCT2

The VS-HCT2 was developed to meet NATO and FINABEL

Finabel

Finabel is a European organisation created with a view to promote interoperability and cooperation between the national armies of the member states of the European Union . The organisation was founded in 1953, and its name is the acronym of the initial letters of the member states - France, Italy,...

 requirements for anti-tank mines. The mine has a square plastic case with a chunky carrying handle set into one corner, with a large raised circular section in the centre of the mine. The electronic fuze is more sophisticated than the VS-HCT, able to descriminate between types of targets, and can vehicle count to strike a particular vehicle. In testing the mine's warhead penetrated 50 millimeters of armour half a meter above the mine, followed by five 25 millimeter witness plates. The mine can self-neutralize after a pre-set period and incorporates an anti-handling device.

The mine is no longer in production.

VS-HCT4

The VS-HCT4 was a development of the VS-HCT2 with a case designed to aid mechanical mine laying. The mine's plastic case is rectangular with rounded ends. The mines warhead and fuze are similar to the VS-HCT2 with similar performance characteristics. Physically the mine is somewhat similar to the French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 ADWAT

ADWAT mine

ADWAT is a French anti-tank blast mine used with the Matenin mine laying system. The mine has the same casing as the MI AC PR series of mines. The mines has a mechanical and electronic fuze. The mine incorporates a 30-minute arming delay, after which either the electronic or mechanical fuze can...

 and MI AC PR

MI AC PR mine

The MI AC PR are a series of French minimum metal blast resistant mine anti-tank blast mines. The mines can be laid by hand or automatically from the Matenin mine laying system at a rate of 500 per hour. The mines use a clockwork arming delay, which can also self neutralize the mine after a set...

 series of mines.

Specifications

Model	VS-HCT	VS-HCT-2	VS-HCT-4
Length / diameter	222 mm	260 mm	280 mm
Height	110 mm	128 mm	104 mm
Width	-	260 mm	188 mm
Weight	4 kg	6.8 kg	5.5 kg
Explosive content	2.05 kg of Composition B Composition B Composition B, colloquially "comp B", is an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is used as the main explosive filling in artillery projectiles, rockets, land mines, hand grenades, sticky bombs and various other munitions...	2.3 kg of Composition B Composition B Composition B, colloquially "comp B", is an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is used as the main explosive filling in artillery projectiles, rockets, land mines, hand grenades, sticky bombs and various other munitions...	2.3 kg of Composition B Composition B Composition B, colloquially "comp B", is an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is used as the main explosive filling in artillery projectiles, rockets, land mines, hand grenades, sticky bombs and various other munitions...