German defense company FFG and U.K. firm Pearson Engineering have jointly developed a mine clearing tank.

The aptly named WiSENT 1 Mine Clearing Tank (MCT) reportedly does as advertised: it digs up landmines for safe disposal.

Source: FFG

The MCT, which was built around FFG's WiSENT 1 armored platform, features mine-clearing "plows" supplied by Pearson Engineering.

According to its developers, the WiSENT 1 MCT weighs 44.5 tons while the mine clearing plow, which is wider than the vehicle itself, weighs 3.5 tons.

As the vehicle lifts mines from the ground, they are diverted using a mine clearing shield and subsequently neutralized by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team. In the event that an explosion occurs, only the mine clearance equipment will be damaged, explained the tank’s manufacturers. This is due to the vehicle's heavy armor.

Additionally, tank crew members are further shielded from potential blasts by anti-mine seats within the vehicle, which redirect the energy from the blasts away from the vehicle's occupants.

In addition to clearing a path from explosives, the MCT WISENT 1 also marks the lanes it has cleared.

FFG has announced that eight WiSENT 1 MCTs have already been deployed to Ukraine to help clear minefields.