Northrop Grumman has secured a $18.8 million contract from the US Army for the production of M136 Volcano anti-tank scatterable munitions, marking a significant investment in the modernization of battlefield engineering tools. Funded through fiscal 2024 Building Partner Capacity resources, the contract is scheduled to run until September 2027, highlighting renewed momentum in terrain-denial strategies.
Volcano was widely deployed during American campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan but has largely remained in storage since. Its revival comes amid growing strategic emphasis on blocking adversary movements and reinforcing formations in potential conflicts with state-level opponents. Mine-laying systems like Volcano are seen as vital to controlling maneuver corridors and safeguarding defensive positions.
The Army’s 2020 service life extension program breathed new energy into the platform, allowing up to two decades of additional use. The system is designed for flexibility, with four launcher racks capable of deploying a mix of anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mines from either air or ground vehicles. A full emplacement can be carried out in under half a minute by a small crew, making it both rapid and manpower-efficient.
Each mine is equipped with a self-destruct mechanism and layered safety features to address humanitarian and operational concerns over lingering explosive hazards. Compatible with platforms including the Humvee, Bradley IFV, and Black Hawk helicopter, Volcano has also been exported to partner nations such as Ukraine and Taiwan, securing its relevance on today’s evolving battlefield.
