Transcript Mine Warfare

Mine Warfare
Mine Warfare
Different than other weapons systems
Target comes to the weapon
Weapons system activated (planted)
without a specific target detected.
Don’t have to be there for it to work.
Can be crude and still be VERY effective
Requires advanced planning
History of Mine Warfare

Revolutionary War
– Powder keg covered in tar with flintlock firing
device

Civil War
– Large scale mining of land and sea

World War II
– 23,000 mines laid sinking or damaging 1,075
Japanese ships

Vietnam War
– Extensive mining of inland waterways
US vs Mines

Of the 18 US Navy ships that have
suffered battle damage in the last 50
years, 78 per cent was as a result of
mines
History of Mine Warfare


The U.S. had considerably reduced the use of
mines since the end of the cold war
Recent Events
• USS Samuel B. Roberts
• USS Princeton
• USS Tripoli

Operation Desert Storm
• The need for a rapid clearing of shallow water
minefields were required in preparation for an
amphibious assault.
U.S. vs. MINES
What It Takes To Go”Anytime, Anywhere” by Rear Adm. Horne,
Proceedings, Jan 1998
USS Tripoli (LPH-11)
“Bad Day at Sea”
USS Samuel B. Roberts
Not just ships……
The Mission Of Mine Warfare

Detect and Avoid or Eliminate mine
threat (Mine Countermeasures (MCM))

“Mining is also a force multiplier in
today’s and tomorrow’s conflict
scenarios....”
- Force 2001
Classification of Mines

By method of delivery
• Air-delivered mines
• Surface-delivered mines
• Submarine-delivered mines

By position in the water
after delivery
• Moored mines
• Bottom mines
• Drifting mines
Classification of Mines

By method of
activation
• Contact Mines
• Influence Mines
– Magnetic
– Acoustic
– Pressure
– Combination
Typical Moored Mine
Arming
Device
Magnetometer
Anchor
Firing System
Components
Mechanism
Section
Explosive
Section
Typical Bottom Mine
Nose
Fairing
Search
Coil
Spoiler
Arming
Device
Explosive
Charge
Release
Mechanism
Firing System
Components
Tail Fin
Parachute
Pack
U.S. Mines

Quickstrike
• based on 500 lb or 2000 lb bombs
• kits stored to convert bombs to mines
Mk 60 Captor (rising, deep ocean)
 Mk 67 SLMM

CAPTOR Mine* Delivered
(MKby 60)
air or subs
* Deep-Water Moored Mine
* Rising Mine
* Targeted Against Submarines
* Releases a torpedo after
it detects a sub.
Mk 60 CAPTOR Mine
Submarine-Launched Mobile
Mine
* Shallow-water bottom mine
* Against Surface ships
* Submarine Delivered
* Self propelled
SLMM
Improved SLMM
Minefield Planning Objectives
Type of Minefield
Offensive
Defensive
Protective
Environmental Consideration
Geographic location
Water depth
Currents
Bottom type and slope
Prevailing sea state
What type of Mine do I use?
Delivering the Mines
Delivery Considerations
Type of Minefield
How many mines needed
Is the area defended
What type of mines needed
How accurate the placement
Platforms Available
Aircraft (P-3 & S-3)
Surface ships
Submarine (Attack)
How Do I Plant the Mines?

Mine Countermeasures
(MCM)
Self-Protection
• Silencing (protection from acoustic mines)
• Degaussing (protection from magnetic mines)
• Steaming slowly (protection from pressure mines)

Clearing/Removing Mines
• Mine sweeping
– Cut cables then activate to destroy (moored mines)
– Use acoustic/magnetic noisemakers to activate
• Mine hunting
– Search and neutralize individual mines
– Use sonar then investigate every possible target.
Mine Hunting Techniques
VHF Active Sonar
 Divers
 UUV

Navy Seals, & Sea Lions
Navy Whales & Dolphins
Mine sweepers

MCM- Avenger Class
• Ocean going
• Fiberglass-wood construction
Mine sweepers

MHC- Osprey
Class
• Coastal (low
endurance)
• Glass
Reinforced
Plastic
construction
• Video and
Sonar Detection
Mine sweepers

MCS - Inchon
• former
Amphib
Assault Ship
• 8 helicopters
• support for
MHC’s
• C4I
capabilities
Mine sweepers

MH-53E
Sea Stallion
• drags sled
• clears
magnetic and
acoustic mines
Built in Mine
Hunter
What It Takes To
Go”Anytime, Anywhere”
by Rear Adm. Horne,
Proceedings, Jan 1998
Questions???