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A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any vessel or a particular vessel type, akin to anti-infantry vs. anti-vehicle mines. Naval mines can be used offensively, to hamper enemy shipping movements or lock vessels into a harbour; or defensively, to protect friendly vessels and create "safe" zones. Mines allow the minelaying force commander to concentrate warships or defensive assets in mine-free areas giving the adversary three choices: undertake an expensive and time-consuming minesweeping effort, accept the casualties of challenging the minefield, or use the unmined waters where the greatest concentration of enemy firepower will be encountered.
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive hydraulic shock. Most depth charges use high explosive charges and a fuze set to detonate the charge, typically at a specific depth. Depth charges can be dropped by ships, patrol aircraft, and helicopters.
The GATOR mine system is a United States military system of air-dropped anti-tank and anti-personnel mines developed in the 1980s to be compatible with existing cluster dispensers. It is used with two dispenser systems—the Navy 230 kg (500 lb) CBU-78/B and the Air Force 450 kg (1,000 lb) CBU-89/B. Additionally the mines are used with the land- and helicopter-based Volcano mine system.
The Hedgehog was a forward-throwing anti-submarine weapon that was used primarily during the Second World War. The device, which was developed by the Royal Navy, fired up to 24 spigot mortars ahead of a ship when attacking a U-boat. It was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers and corvettes to supplement the depth charges.
USS Bluefish (SSN-675), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bluefish.
Minesweeping is the practice of the removal of explosive naval mines, usually by a specially designed ship called a minesweeper using various measures to either capture or detonate the mines, but sometimes also with an aircraft made for that purpose. Minesweeping has been practiced since the advent of naval mining in 1855 in the Crimean War. The first minesweepers date to that war and consisted of British rowboats trailing grapnels to snag the mines.
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, and/or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are typically carried out to protect friendly shipping and coastal facilities from submarine attacks and to overcome blockades.
The Mark 37 torpedo is a torpedo with electrical propulsion, developed for the US Navy after World War II. It entered service with the US Navy in the early 1950s, with over 3,300 produced. It was phased out of service key with the US Navy during the 1970s, and the stockpiles were sold to foreign navies.
The TM-62 is a Soviet anti-tank blast mine made in many variants. It has a central fuze and typically a 7.5 kilograms (17 lb) explosive charge, but the variants vary greatly in detail. The mine can be laid manually or automatically from a mine laying machine including the PMR-1, PMR-2 wheeled towed mine layers, the GMZ-3 tracked mine laying vehicle and the VMR-2 helicopter mine laying system. The TM-62 can be fitted with the same fuzes as the TM-72, which include MVN-72 and MVN-80 fuzes which are vibration and magnetism sensitive.
The VS-SATM1 is an Italian scatterable anti-tank landmine that was produced by Valsella Meccanotecnica SpA. The mine can be scattered by a GRILLO-128 man-portable single-tube launcher system or a VS-MDH helicopter based system. The mine has six pop-out fins which slow its descent and improve the dispersion characteristics.
The 4AHM-100, AHM-200, AHM-200-1, AHM-200-2, PMN-150, and PMN-250 are Bulgarian directional fragmentation mines that can be used with proximity fuzes to function as anti-helicopter mines.
An anti-handling device is an attachment to or an integral part of a landmine or other munition such as some fuze types found in general-purpose air-dropped bombs, cluster bombs and sea mines. It is designed to prevent tampering or disabling, or to target bomb disposal personnel. When the protected device is disturbed, it detonates, killing or injuring anyone within the blast area. There is a strong functional overlap of booby traps and anti-handling devices.
The FFV 028 is a series of steel cased Swedish anti-tank mines that use electronic fuzes. The mines are circular, with a large Misznay Schardin effect warhead in the center of the mine, with the fuzing and sensor electronics located in the dead space above the main charge. The design of the mine dates from the 1970s and uses a magnetic influence sensor to detonate the mine, making it able to attack the full width of armoured vehicles.
The HAK-1 is a Hungarian plastic encased anti-tank mine. It uses a Misznay Schardin effect warhead combined with an electronic acoustic and magnetic influence fuze. The mine can be programmed for an active life of between three hours and 150 days. Once the acoustic sensor detects a target, the magnetic influence sensor is used to detonate the mine at the optimal point. The warhead is capable of penetrating 45 mm of armour and producing a 130 mm diameter hole.
The VS-HCT series of mines are Italian plastic cased anti-tank mines that use Misznay Schardin effect warheads and have a dual seismic and magnetic fuze. The mines are no longer produced and differ in size and shape.
The HPD-1, HPD-2 and HPD-3 are a series of French electrically fuzed anti-tank landmines that use Misznay Schardin effect warheads. The entire series of mines conform to the United States MIL-STD-331.
Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition or is a small United States multi-purpose landmine produced by ATK Precision Fuze Company in Janesville, Wisconsin from 1992 to 2002. It has a passive infrared sensor, and a magnetic influence sensor which allow it to be used as a demolition munition, off-route mine, or full width belly attack mine.
The MSM MK2 is a Finnish belly attack anti-tank mine. The mine has a circular ribbed plastic case that is tapered towards the bottom. It uses an electronic fuze with a combination magnetic and seismic fuze; it also has an anti-handling device. The mine is armed by inserting an arming pin, which completes an electronic circuit. The mine indicates that it is armed by lighting a small LED light which switches off after 10 minutes. When a vehicle approaches, vibrations travelling through the ground trigger the seismic sensor, which activates the magnetic sensor. When a vehicle passes over the mine, the warhead is triggered. First a clearing charge fire, removing up to 100 millimeters of earth from the top of the mine, then a copper-lined Misznay Schardin effect warhead is triggered. This projects a slug of copper at high velocity into the bottom of the target.
Geophysical MASINT is a branch of Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT) that involves phenomena transmitted through the earth and manmade structures including emitted or reflected sounds, pressure waves, vibrations, and magnetic field or ionosphere disturbances.
In military munitions, a fuze is the part of the device that initiates function. In some applications, such as torpedoes, a fuze may be identified by function as the exploder. The relative complexity of even the earliest fuze designs can be seen in cutaway diagrams.
References
- ↑ Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons Dated ..., Volume 1 , p. PA893-PA907, at Google Books
- ↑ The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems , p. PA787, at Google Books
- ↑ "Home". www.baesystems.com. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008.
- ↑ http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/juws/juws0535.html [ dead link ]