The U.S. Army has awarded Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. a $19 million contract for the production of M136 Vehicle Launched Anti-Tank Scatterable ammunition canisters, a key component of the service’s mobile mine-laying capability.
The contract, funded through fiscal 2024 Building Partner Capacity accounts, will support production of the widely used Volcano system, with completion expected by September 26, 2027.
According to the Department of War, $18,851,235 was obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command in Newark, New Jersey, is overseeing the procurement under contract number W15QKN-25-C-0031.
The M136, commonly known as the Volcano, is an automated scatterable mine delivery system designed to rapidly deploy large-scale minefields under varied battlefield conditions. Using prepackaged ammunition canisters, the system can disperse both anti-tank (AT) and anti-personnel (AP) mines across a wide area, creating a powerful barrier against enemy forces and complicating adversary movement.
The Volcano system can be mounted on a variety of ground vehicles or helicopters, allowing for quick emplacement of minefields to protect advancing troops, deny terrain, or disrupt enemy maneuvers. Once deployed, the mines can form extensive defensive belts within minutes, a capability that can be decisive in both conventional and hybrid conflicts.
The system’s flexibility makes it well-suited for a range of missions — from blocking key approaches and reinforcing defensive lines to providing flank security for mechanized units.
Volcano minefields are often used in coordination with ground and air elements, supporting combined arms maneuvers or enhancing screening and guard operations along vulnerable sectors.