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| Science & Technology |
| The Perfect Bottom Mine |
| 2005-11-01 |
| November 1, 2005: The Finnish government owned Patria Advanced Solutions Oy company, has introduced a formidable new naval mine; the M2. This is a âsmart naval mine, containing its own computer, and able to detect targets via acoustic (detecting the sound of the target ship), pressure (detecting the pressure on the water a ship over head makes), and magnetic (detecting the metal in a ship) sensors. Many details of this bottom (it is placed on the sea bed of shallow coastal waters) mine are classified. The Finns are manufacturing this mine for their own defense, and export to select customers (those unlikely to attack Finland). The mine is believed to have an electrical field sensor as well, and that it can be detonated by remote control. The computer in the mine is programmable, so the mine can be instructed to attack only certain types of ships. But the most interesting aspect of this mine is that it was made with COTS (Commercial, Off-The Shelf) components. That means that many other nations, with a sufficient supply of capable engineers, could build a similar mine. It also means the M2 is probably very cheap, without the expense of a lot of custom made (and developed) parts. A weapon like this, in the hands of terrorists, would be a very dangerous weapon. As a âbottom mine,â it is very hard to clear. Weighing less than half a ton, it could be transported and planted by a relatively small boat. A fishing boat would be ideal, if you were up to no good. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #13 Shipman, hadn't your Golden Retriever a while back gotten the teensiest bit impatient with your thousands of tiny robots obsession? ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-11-01 22:31 |
| #12 Kind of the Anacin and Bufferin "thousands of tiny time pills" thing? Meh, some like one... On the plus side, the TOTR concept is definitely on the drawing board, and not just at DARPA and ONR. I suppose that it just seemed reasonable to tailor AI after insects and other simpler swarming critters. Real-world applications are harder to imagine, but they exist. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-11-01 18:18 |
| #11 The Perfect Bottom Mine Am I the only one who thought this was going to be an article about Boy George's favorite new nightclub? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2005-11-01 18:17 |
| #10 Instead of using UAVs tho,I'd breed special Brown Pelicans with built in anti-amphibious logic. They would carry the mines internally and instinctively attack amphibious shipping by homing in on the galley trail. Or thousands of tiny robots.... :> |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-11-01 16:02 |
| #9 'moose the part that always tickels me is the... "thousands of tiny robots", it's not even the concept, it the weird rhythm of the words. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-11-01 15:59 |
| #8 Well, Shipman, if you remember, I suggested using small, floating robotic mines to deny a major sea lane to a floatilla of less advanced ships, such as in an invasion of Taiwan. The only "must have" in the design is that they don't detonate when they bump into each other. While such mini-mines wouldn't impact a warship, they could perhaps punch a 3" hole below the waterline in a civilian ship being used for military purposes, either seriously slowing it down or maybe sinking it. Other ideas I suggested were that the mines be able to "swim", not just float, either to space themselves out, or two swim in the direction of a mine explosion--not to attack the same target, but to fill the gap left in its wake. Lastly, and for larger mines, I suggested that they be designed as the body of a UAV, that would fly to its destination, then drop in the water to tear off its wings. Which is a quick way to deploy mines without risking a ship. What you found this suggestion either hilarious or profoundly disturbing, I have no idea. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-11-01 15:51 |
| #7 everyone well italians for sure have that kind of mines |
| Posted by: Unetch Flinetch3868 2005-11-01 14:04 |
| #6 (detecting the sound of the target ship), pressure (detecting the pressure on the water a ship over head makes), and magnetic (detecting the metal in a ship) sensors *AHEM* WW II mines did this on a regular basis, ie. droped by aircraft, programed to count and sink last ship in a convoy slipping thru a harbor channel, and thereby blocking the rest of ships in harbor. [sitting ducks] us old farts were perfect, you young wippersnappers! |
| Posted by: Old Salty 2005-11-01 14:00 |
| #5 It also means the M2 is probably very cheap, without the expense of a lot of custom made (and developed) parts. No expensive 12 year program life? Not in the Haliburton product line? Less than $ 150,000,000. per copy.... FORGET IT! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-11-01 13:14 |
| #4 Those anti-mine robots not tiny 'moose. :) |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-11-01 12:55 |
| #3 those unlikely to attack Finland Let's see, that would be anybody but Russia, Sweden and Norway. I hope the USN gets a copy of the software. |
| Posted by: Grinens Angeaque7793 2005-11-01 10:52 |
| #2 Naval mines are going to be pestiferous in the future. The Cold War precluded deployment of advanced systems for 50 years, and now suddenly, the technologies are in catch-up mode. Though anybody's guess, many of the littoral catamaran-type ships being designed now seem to take into account this potential. And the ONR devotes a lot of research into anti-mine robotics (attn: Shipman). One interesting technique is the use of passive torpedo-like sensors that use ocean temperature to propel themselves along. Deployed dozens at a time, they "swim" from surface to sea floor and back in a sine wave pattern. With such a passive propulsion system, they can operate for several weeks without refueling. Several waves of these sensors could "clear" a large channel near a coastline, and might even contain a small charge to blow up any mine found. Far more popular right now is the use of "biologicals", such as dolphins, who are talented in the detection of such things. Their only drawback is that the Navy does not like to risk their lives unless absolutely necessary. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-11-01 09:59 |
| #1 *cough*Taiwan Straits*cough* |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-11-01 09:30 |