VSM-1 mine system

[3] Generally, the helicopter crew performs the mining from an altitude of 30-150 meters, at speeds of 150-220 km/h.

[3] The VSM-1, along with other minelaying systems like the BMR-2 (Russian: БМР-2), saw extensive use in the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan.

[3][9] The mission was carried out in December 1981 and involved mining trails and passes on the border of Afghanistan with Pakistan.

However, the mission was led by a senior navigator of the Air Force of the 40th Army, who arrived from Kabul, and was unfamiliar with the area.

The helicopter crew realized their mistake as soon as they saw railroads, which were not present in Afghanistan at that time.

A Mi-8MT helicopter with a VSM-1 minelaying device of the Russian Air Force .
A Russian Air Force service member loading KSO-1 cassettes into the VSM-1 minelaying system.