Abramsy, Leopardy, Black Panthers – this modern equipment presented during the Polish Army Festival parade has attracted immense and apparent interest. However, an unexpected silent hero of celebrations – and memes – became another vehicle, which Polish soldiers use. It's about the fresh model of God. What is Bożena-4 liable for in the army? Explain!
What kind of equipment is under God’s name? It is simply a remote-controlled, wheel-threading device designed to mine the area from anti-personnel and anti-tank mines set on the surface and in the ground. This is by definition Bożena-4 of the Slovak company Way Industries. The first Božena was developed between 1999 and 2000. It was then 1 of the first distant controlled mine trawls in Central and east Europe. 20 years ago, the Polish military bought the 4th generation Bożena for the mission in Afghanistan. Currently, specified devices are utilized not only by Polish and Slovak armed forces, but besides in Ukraine by their emergency service.
Bożena-4 is simply a key component in the arsenal of Polish engineering units, ensuring efficient and safe disposal of mine hazards under different terrain conditions. The surface trawl can destruct anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, containing up to 9 kg of explosives. The device is controlled remotely by a sapper utilizing a console. For safety reasons, the operator must be in a peculiar anti-fracture compartment set at a minimum of 20 to 100 m (depending on the kind of mine being destroyed) from the area in which Bożena works. If the bomb squad does not usage the cabin, it must hide, for example, in a bunker or shelter 250 m from the machine.
The main tool utilized by Bożena for combat work is mounted on the rotary boom of the shaft with metallic whips attached on the chains, which hit the ground 7 times per second, origin the explosive devices hidden in it to detonate. Bożena is able to clean surface area (up to 25 cm deep) about 2 m wide.
Besides clearing minefields, Bożena systems can besides carry out engineering and construction tasks. For all models there is simply a wide scope of equipment available (spoons, excavators, pallet forks, drills) which transforms the mine trawl into a tool for loading and unloading materials, levelling terrain, digging ditches, removing wrecks and obstacles, etc.
The latest version of the Slovak mine raft is Bożena-5. The device is, among others, twice as dense (10–12 t) as Bożena-4, more technologically advanced, has a more powerful engine (TATRA T3C-928-81 turbo alternatively of DEUTZ BF 4L613) and a higher trawl width (more than 2.6 m).