[1] The M86 anti-personnel mine is to be deployed as a deterrent munition by special forces or selected personnel only on operations where they may be pursued by an enemy.

The mine is wedge-shaped, and contains a safety clip, arming strap assembly, internal safety and arming device, seven trip-line sensor, a reserve battery, electronic circuitry containing an IC chip, and a kill mechanism surrounded by an overlay containing a liquid propellant, and encapsulated in a moulded plastic form.

Disturbance of a trip-line, or the mine itself, now triggers a switch which completes an electronic firing circuit.

The S&A electric detonator initiates the S&A firing train which initiates a detonating cord which then initiates a thin layer of liquid propellant, which by gravity rests under the kill mechanism, shattering the plastic mine body and propelling the kill mechanism upwards from 6 inches to 8 feet above the ground where it detonates.

The kill mechanism is a spheroid internally embossed and loaded with 21 grams of Comp A5 and when detonated, propels fragments in a high velocity spherical pattern.