The Navy is seriously committed to maintaining a potent sea mining capability.  Mining can be used as a strategic deterrent and/or as a force multiplier in this era during which the Navy faces a continued reduction in platform numbers.

The unique attributes of naval mines make them one of the most effective forms of naval warfare across the spectrum of conflict.  Even the suggestion of the presence of mines in the water has deterred or delayed waterborne movement until the threat could be effectively assessed and neutralized.  In the early stages of future crises, mines positioned either overtly or clandestinely, not necessarily in large numbers, could be a strategic tool in convincing an adversary to reassess its intentions, contributing to the establishment of battlespace dominance.  Therefore, mining can be effective across many different levels of conflict, either as a stand‑alone option or as one element in a broader response.

Our allies and adversaries recognize that mines are relatively low-cost weapons that can level the playing field between otherwise unequal opponents.  To guarantee the effectiveness of our future forces, we must develop and maintain an inventory of modern weapons, integrate mining into the overall planning to shape the battlespace, and ensure the availability of a variety of delivery platforms in sufficient numbers to execute approved plans.  Maintenance of a robust mining capability also provides a basic understanding of state-of-the-art sea mine technology that allows us to optimize development of an effective countermeasures force.

 Our Mining Concept of Operations (CONOPS) describes the top-level operational roles of mining as a key component of our overall naval operational structure.  There are three stages of mining operations within which all aspects of mining are grouped.  They are the planning, delivery, and campaign stages.

The planning stage of the mining CONOPS includes the following basic activities:

 ·         Determining mission requirements and maintaining mine assets

·         Identifying and planning priority minefields

·         Developing, acquiring, and prepositioning mining assets

·         Exercising and training in the mining area

·         Implementation of global mining alliances

Requisite to the determination of mission requirements is threat assessment, collection of environmental and target data, and the development of algorithms for mine sensors.  Effective minefield modeling is particularly important in this regard.  The development and acquisition of mines is an extremely important component of the planning phase, as is maintenance of a modern mine stockpile.  Rigorous training and mining exercises are essential to ensure our readiness to conduct mining operations.  Also important are the contributions of our allies.  Many of our allies, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Japan have strong mining capabilities that are incorporated into our own mining plans.  Moreover, valuable mine design technology is available from our allies and obtainable through existing bilateral data exchange agreements and through NATO information exchange organizations. 

The ability to deliver mines via a variety of methods is central to our successful mining operations.  Submarines offer the best capability to plant mines in place in the most clandestine manner.  Surface ships offer the ability for high-volume mine deliveries.  Finally, aircraft offer the greatest potential to lay mines in a variety of areas.  The use of aircraft is currently our primary mine delivery resource. 

The mining campaign stage may consist of one or more of the following missions: offensive mining, defensive mining, the replenishment of minefields, and the clearance of minefields.  Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, these mining missions are much more likely to be conducted in support of regional conflicts vice a threat from a superpower nation.

The Navy’s mining efforts in support of these regional conflicts may be conducted in unfamiliar, relatively shallow coastal waters, with poor environmental conditions.  Coastal bathymetrics differ greatly; from shallow waters (150-foot depths in the Yellow Sea) to deep waters (6,000‑foot depths in the Mediterranean).  Continental shelf widths vary greatly as well, from broad shelves with gently sloping continental shelf breaks to very narrow shelves with steep escarpments leading to deep basins just a few miles off shore. 

The numbers and types of potential targets in such regional conflicts are large and varied, from small diesel-electric submarines (including midget submarines) to small and fast patrol boats and frigate-sized surface combatants.  Enemy operational practices will also have an impact on our ability to conduct effective mining campaigns. 

Increasingly, the Third World regional submarine threat will comprise more modern submarines that offer greater challenges to effective U.S. mining efforts.  There may even be instances in which mines are used in situations short of actual conflict, subject to the constraints of international law.  The possibility for the use of mines to thwart seaborne drug movements or to advance U.S. interests against terrorist states and subnational groups should not be discounted in the future.