Week 1 – Naval Special Warfare (NSW)

Week 2 – Mine Warfare

I. History – Mines have been and still are a threat

A. Most recently in the Persian Gulf – Iraqi, Iranian mines

B. US Fleet hampered in Desert Shield / Storm by mines

1. Amphib assault into Kuwait not attempted due to mines

2. Losses – two on Feb 18 ‘91

a. LPH-10 USS Tripoli à hit moored contact mine

b. CG-59 USS Princetonà hit bottom mine at high speed while providing air cover for mine sweepers

II. Mine Classifications

A. Bottom Mines

1. Lie on ocean floor; easily hidden and hard to recover

a. Used in 700 – 1000 feet of water (ineffective in shallow water)

B. Moored Mines

1. Chain drags mine to a predetermined depth

a. Depth depends on weight and length of the chain

2. Have an explosive case

3. Triggered by direct (usually) or other influences

C. Moving Mines – buoyant, drifting, creeping, homing, and rising mines

III. Types of Mines

A. Contact Mines – initiated by physical contact; oldest and most common mine

B. Target Influence Mines – analyzes surroundings and detonates if data is consistent with a valid target … Mechanism Types:

1. Magnetic – detects electrical pulses

2. Acoustic – detects underwater sound with a hydrophone

3. Pressure – detected with pressure firing mechanisms which determine position and validity of target

C. Controlled Mines – detonate when signal sent from land via cable to the mine

1. Typically in defensive mine fields

2. Offensively in rivers, deltas, and chokepoints

IV. Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Objectives

A. Exploratory – search for mines and determine their disposition, type, and status

B. Breakthrough – open channels to allow access to ports

C. Attrition – minimize threat with mine sweeping and hunting (traffic continues)

D. Clearance – remove all mines before traffic continues

V. Offensive MCM – reduce enemy ability to mine waters

A. Achieved via power projection targeting mine stockpiles or mine laying vessels

VI. Defensive MCM – employed when minefield discovered

A. Passive MCM

1. Self-Protection – ship modified to reduce chance of mine detonation … methods:

a. Acoustic Silencing

b. Magnetic delousing

c. No way to protect against detonating pressure mines

2. Detection / Avoidance

B. Active MCM

1. Mine Hunting – counters one mine at a time

a. Detect and Classify – shipboard or towed mine hunting sonars and magnetometers

b. Ship searches an imaginary grid, going back and forth until the search is complete

c. Mine Detection – MNS ROV deployed to verify mine with a camera

· Disables mine with an explosive charge

2. Mine Sweeping – ship or helicopter; limited to shallow waters

a. Mechanical Sweep – cuts mooring cable of moored mines which then float to the surface and are disarmed by EOD

b. Influence Sweep – uses a vehicle that trick mines into detonating

· Vehicle resembles magnetic, acoustic, and pressure influences of ships

· Causes mines to detonate

¨ No harm to mine sweeper as it is well in front of the towed vehicle

c. Clearance Diving – divers search, locate, and neutralize mines

VII. China-Taiwan

A. China Issues and Facts

1. One of the fastest growing economies (9.1% annual growth rate)

2. Poses biggest threat to US

3. Unpredictable domestic and international behavior

4. Foreign Policy based on nationalism, rigid sovereignty, economic development, and Taiwan issues

5. Nationalism used to garner support (increasing due to improved quality of life)

6. Sovereignty – “sacred and inflexible”; Chinese refuse to give up land

a. Disputable Land – rightful owner contented

b. Defiant Land – claims independence

7. Needs peace with the world to control internal issues

a. Threaten force over Taiwan, however

b. US maintains “strategic ambiguity” but would surely defend Taiwan from Chinese takeover

B. Taiwan’s “Geocentric Importance” in SE Asia

1. Allows USN mobility

2. Loss of Taiwan would be viewed as a major democratization setback

3. Pres. Carter passed the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA; 10 Apr ‘79)

a. US sells defensive arms to Taiwan

b. Indicates a preference for a peaceful resolution

C. Recent Times

1. ’95-96 Chinese Missile Tests – Clinton responded by sending to CVNs to the Taiwan Strait area

2. China joined WTO as its economy liberalizes

a. Politics and foreign policy have not liberalized, however (still irresponsible)

VIII. CDR Davis, Class of ‘34 (Graduate in Review)

A. BB-37 USS Oklahoma: Pearl Harbor – took 4 torpedoes and capsized

B. CL-48 USS Honolulu (Jan ‘42 – June ‘44): saw battle in the Aleutians, Guadalcanal, Solomons, and Guam

1. Received Legion of Merit (with Combat “V”) and Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon while at Guam

C. Training in US (June ’44 – Oct ’42)

D. 26 Nov ’44 – became CO of DD 723 USS Walke

1. 6 Jul ’45 – at Philippine Islands providing air cover to minesweepers (no nearby support) à 4 suicide planes sighted

a. CDR Davis directed his gunners from an exposed position on the bridge

b. First two planes shot down; third crashes into the bridge

c. CDR Davis directs cleanup despite being drenched in gas, burnt, and badly injured à Leads to 4^th plane being shot down

· Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his “valor and unhesitating self-sacrifice”

E. Other Awards: Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal

Abbreviations: BB = Battleship CL = Cruiser MNS = Mine Neutralization System ROV = Remote Operated Vehicle

Week 2 Platforms

Ship/Helo (Name)	MCM-1 Avenger	MHC-51 Osprey	MCS-12 Inchon	MH-53E Sea Dragon
Mission	*	ß Same	MCM Command and support Converted from amphib ship	Airborne MCM VOB
Weapons	2 x .50cal machine guns	ß Same	4x .50cal machine guns 4x Mk38 25mm machine guns 2x Mk15 Phalanx CIWS Stinger Missiles 2x UH-46D Sea Knights 8x MH-53E Sea Dragons	Tows minesweeping systems up to 36,000 pounds Can carry 55 passengers or 24 litters
Crew (Off / Enlist)	8 / 76	5 / 46	122 / 1,321	2 pilots, 2 flight engineers, 2 gunners
Speed (Cru./Max)	14 knots	10 knots	21 knots	150 knots max

*Mine hunter-killers capable of finding, classifying and destroying moored and bottom mines …. VOB = Vertical On-Board Delivery All info from www.fas.org

Mines (Name)	Mk56 ASW	Mk60 CAPTOR (enCAPsulated TORpedo)	Mk62-65 Quick Strike*	Mk67 SLMM
Type	Moored	Moored	Bottom	Bottom
Laid By	Aircraft	Aircraft / Sub	Aircraft	Submarine
Actuating System	Magnetic	Acoustic	Any	Any
Depth	Moderate	Deep	Moderate	Moderate
Extra Info	Oldest in US use	Primary ASW weapon Releases Mk46 torpedo upon detection	500-lb (Mk62)** 1000-lb (Mk63) 2000-lb (Mk64 Destructor) 2400-lb (Mk65)	Modified Mk37 torpedo Self-propelled

*These are similar mines; all but the Mk64 are named “Quick Strike” (two words) – the Mk64 is named Destructor

**The pro book puts magnetic next to 500-lb, acoustic next to 1000-lb, etc – this is misleading because each mine can use any actuating system (magnetic, acoustic, or pressure).