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Reply To: Mines in modern naval warfare

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Wanshan
Participant

CAPTOR =
Aircraft, ship or submarine laid magnetically moored mine. More specifically, a deepwater moored torpedo launcher. It is (self) anchored to the ocean floor, where it lies dormant until a target is detected, at which time the torpedo swims out of its capsule to attack and destroy its target. Lifetime is several weeks or months. I suppose it doesn’t come with a mooring cable of unlimited length. Hence, the maximum depth. (But you could have googled that yourself too….)

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/captor2.jpg

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/mk60.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_60_CAPTOR

Originally used Mark 46 Mod 4 torpedo with aluminum case, but was then modified to accept a Mk 46 Mod 5 (NEARTIP) torpedo as its warhead. The hardware design for this Mod 1 version was completed under a FY88 program.

So, I don’t think MK60 CAPTOR was/is produced with anything other than MK46. However, I suppose the principle could be applied with any lightweight ASW torpedo.

Similar to the US Navy’s CAPTOR mine is USSR/russian federation PMR/PMK-1. PMR is a 21” diameter submarine-laid mine designed to actively attack shipping. The PMR sits horizontally on the seabed; a passive sonar hydrophone compares shipping sounds to a stored threat library and if a target signature is detected; a smaller subcaliber torpedo launches and attacks the target. After 1991, Russia redesignated the weapon PMK-1.

China is working on a similar design.
http://www.usnwc.edu/Research—Gaming/China-Maritime-Studies-Institute/Publications/documents/CMS3_Mine-Warfare.aspx