2. VISION STATEMENT
The sea mine remains today, as it has in world naval history, an exceptionally fearful, cost‑effective offensive and defensive tactical weapon that deserves a prominent position within any naval arsenal. The sea mine can influence military events at sea as a classic force multiplier at a time when Fleets face continual reduction in platform numbers. It has the demonstrated potential to perform major anti-submarine and anti-surface ship sea control tactical roles that otherwise would be the responsibility of high-value surface and subsurface combatants.
The impressive lethality of the sea mine was demonstrated in combat situations numerous times over the last two decades. Clearly demonstrated was the ability of even the most modest third‑world countries to deploy sea mines. During Operations Desert Shield/Storm conducted in 1990‑1991, two Navy warships, the U.S.S. PRINCETON and the U.S.S. TRIPOLI, both struck Iraqi mines in open waters of the Persian Gulf. The combined damage to the two ships, which totaled approximately $21.6 million, was caused by two mines - one estimated to cost $10,000 and the other only about $1,500. Iraqi forces planted an estimated 1,300 sea mines in the Persian Gulf, ranging from simple yet deadly contact types designed in the early 1900’s to the most modern types of magnetic and acoustic influence mines obtained from the Soviet Bloc and commercial sources throughout the free world. Without question, the sea mine is likely to be among the first weapons of choice in future belligerent encounters with the United States or its allies.
Recognizing the inordinate threat posed by universally available sea mines, the U.S. Navy and its allies are aggressively developing advanced mine countermeasures capabilities to counter this threat. However, in consonance with this worldwide emphasis on mine countermeasures development, an equally aggressive initiative in the future development of sea mines is undeniably required as a vital and essential component of mine countermeasures advancements. The knowledge of current mines and the development of new mines also translates to an enhanced understanding of threats by the MCM community
To fully support power projection and battlespace dominance, the U.S. Navy must sustain a viable offensive mining capability. This offensive sea mining vision is twofold.
U.S. Naval Forces must develop, procure, maintain, and deploy a modern family of sea mines optimized for potential future military encounters associated with expeditionary warfare operations in littoral regions.
Equally important, a comprehensive understanding of opposing forces’ sea mine design is required to successfully counter them. A process must be fully supported to continuously exploit foreign sea mine design and development technologies in order to optimize the development of our own mine countermeasures capabilities. State-of-the-art knowledge of sea mine technology acquired through implementation of our own mine development program is a major contributor to understanding threat mine design.
Implementation of the Sea Mining Vision is a multi-warfare area and multi‑service responsibility. The Navy’s submarine, surface, air, and expeditionary warfare communities each have a requirement for and an inherent role in establishing a modern sea mining capability. The U.S. Air Force also has a key responsibility in its ability to deliver mines. Mine delivery options must be maintained, whether delivered by naval vessels covertly with precision or overtly in large numbers by air, depending on the threat and desired effect.
Realization of the U.S. Naval Sea Mining Vision can only result from strong programmatic initiatives that not only support mines currently in the inventory, but also aggressively support development of new sea mine technology and operational capabilities. In particular, development of a standoff mining capability and a remote control capability of sea mines are required in order to provide unerring effectiveness against a wide range of targets. Sea mine safety and sterilization capabilities must also be improved to address the humanitarian issues associated with mines.
The U.S. Naval Sea Mining Vision must also embrace the recognition of its most important asset: people. Continuous improvements in training, tactics, threat awareness, and support services will enable the Navy to continue to field the best trained MIW force in the world. Only through trained and motivated people are we able to support national interests through the timely applications of force from the sea. Our people support a key Naval doctrine by tradition: “Where we’ve been, no Fleet goes.”
Even in the modern military of the 21st Century, sea mines will serve as effective tactical weapons applicable to several potential threats and operational scenarios. With technological advances, comprehensive control of deployed sea mines will be a paramount requirement. As one of many weapons of choice to project power through unencumbered maneuver, sea mines truly offer a cost-effective option for sustaining battlespace dominance. For the United States, and its opposing forces, sea mines in the future remain as an impressive force multiplier.
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