METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DESTROYING BURIED OBJECTS

An apparatus (20) for destroying a buried object (22) includes a targeting system (26) including a sensor (28) operable to detect the presence and location of an object (22) which is at least partially buried in the ground, a gun system including a gun (30) operable to fire a projectile (32) into the ground, and a control system (34) that aims the gun (30) responsive to the presence and location of the buried object (22) as determined by the targeti ng system (26). The sensor (28) also desirably detects the presence and locatio n of the projectile (32) fired by the gun system, and the gun pointer is responsive to the location of the projectile (32). The sensor (28) thus detects the presence of the buried object (22), the control system (34) aims the gun (30) at the buried object (22), and the gun (30) fires the projectil e (32). The sensor (28) detects the relative positions of the buried object (2 2) and the projectile (32) as it passes near the buried object (22), the contro l system (34) corrects the aim of the gun (30) in the event that the prior sho t misses, and the gun (30) fires another projectile (32) with a corrected aim.