Much has been said about Ukraine’s lethal set of western-donated anti-armor and anti-tank weapons that have been helping them take out Russian tanks left and right since the start of the war. However, there is another anti-tank weapon that the Ukrainian forces have used to bust Russian tanks up to smithereens, the German DM22 PARM2 mine.
Germany, which has been lukewarm and hesitant toward sending Ukraine heavier offensive weapons, delivered these mines as part of their military support package to Kyiv last May. German newspaper Spiegel reported that some 2,450 RGW90 anti-tank weapon systems, 1,600 DM22 off-roue anti-tank mines, and 3,000 DM31 anti-tank mines had been successfully delivered to Ukraine. Since then, these weapons have been put to good use by the Ukrainian forces.
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The soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has a German PARM / DM22 anti-tank directional mine and a DM31 anti-tank anti-bottom mine
To date, Ukraine has received 1600 DM22 and 3000 DM31 pic.twitter.com/Kmna4cbnfo— The Rage X | Warzone (@thewarrage) June 3, 2022
Yes, we have reported all about how the US-donated Javelins have been all the rage in Ukraine, with the NLAW also being a revered weapon over there, but hear us out. There’s more to what meets the eye with the DM22 off-route mines. Shoulder-fired man-portable weapon systems are great for Ukrainian’s usual hit-and-run tactics, but we’re pretty sure these anti-tank mines have also dealt some damage to Russian tanks.
The Kremlin forces are notably well-aware of the Ukrainian’s ability to take out their armored vehicles with the Javelins, NLAWs, Panzerfaust-3s, and even the Stugna-Ps (and its modded version, the Stug-buggy). However, these mines will provide the Ukrainians will more options to surprise the unsuspecting Russian tank units.
So what exactly does this mine bring to the table?
The German DM22 off-route directional mines, also known as Panzerabwehrrichtmine 2 (PARM 2), is a more advanced version of the DM12 PARM1 initially developed in the 1980s. The PARM1 entered service around 1988 with the West-German army. These were developed specifically for Soviet tanks during the Cold War, which had stronger armor at that time. Needless to say, they were looking for an answer to take out Soviet tanks and came up with the DM12 PARM1.
The PARM 1 is a mine that is mounted on a tripod. This allows it to be manipulated and aimed at 360 degrees, elevated to 90 degrees, and depressed to -45 degrees. Servicemen can arm it and leave it active for up to 30 days, or it can be detonated through a 43-yard fiber optic trigger cable. Once the mine is tripped by the weight of a vehicle or a tank driving over the fiber optic cable, the mine fires the rocket into the side of the tank. An infrared sensor can also be employed instead, extending the range out to 100 yards.
What makes this mine special is that it fires a small rocket, a deviation from traditional mines that are usually detonated under a vehicle or tank. Thus, it works like a small anti-tank rocket, which is kind of cool if we do say so ourselves.
The PARM1 has an effective range of 43 yards, with the rocket having a velocity of 120 meters per second.
Later, the Germans would upgrade the PARM1 to the PARM2, the anti-tank mine in service with the Ukrainians. They upgraded the mine to have an infrared sensor, which makes it fire accurately for up to 100-110 yards, with armor penetration of 100mm even against reactive armor. Furthermore, the mine itself is fin-stabilized, fitted with an anti-tank warhead (HEAT), which can definitely blow up tanks. It also has an open sight that allows the user of the DM22 PARM2 to aim.
Best of all, especially for the Ukrainians, these PARM2 mines are easy to set up since they will not have to dig and bury the mine. Furthermore, once fired, they can get out of dodge to avoid counterattacks from the enemy forces if necessary. Ukrainians can also leave the mine set in anticipation of a convoy and ambush the Russians from the front and the rear, especially in a vulnerable environment that the Russians may try to cross such as a bridge or even along rivers that the Russian tank forces may cross.
#Ukraine: A Russian BMP ran into a Ukrainian AT mine in #Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and was totally destroyed.
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A tank can also be seen abandoned by the side of the road.pic.twitter.com/dc3MzvAgO8Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) May 28, 2022
While the DM31s have also been delivered to Ukraine, the DM22 PARM2 is the only mine the Ukrainians have reported to have used in active combat thus far. While not confirmed to be a DM22 PARM2, the Ukrainian Weapons Tracker released a video along with BlueSauron that shows a Russian BMP being blown up by a “Ukrainian AT mine” somewhere in Zaporizhzhia.
In the video, the BMP is driving on what seems to be a rural road. Various craters can be seen in the field beside it. While it is not confirmed that a DM22 PARM2 was responsible for the attack, eagle-eyed internet users saw a cloud of smoke rising from the trees in the upper left area of the video in the nearby woods, leading many to believe that the Ukrainians ambushed the BMP as when the rocket is fired, a cloud of smoke would rise from the point of launch. However, SOFREP cannot verify this as there is no other footage of the attack.
That being said, the DM22 PARM2 will see more action in Ukraine as time passes in the war, which has dragged on for four months. The world will also be looking to Germany if it will push through with its promises to send Ukraine more weapons and their renowned IRIS-T air defense system.
