Minesweeper (ship)

[[Image:Hameln Class.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Hameln Class Minesweeper of the German Navy, on patrol.

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]]A minesweeper is a military ship designed to newtralize naval mines placed in the sea by enemies. The same ships are sometimes used for mine laying.

Related Topics:
Military - Naval mine

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Minesweepers are equipped with mecanical or influence sweeps to detonate mines. The minesweeper itself produces much less noise than other ships, and are often constructed with hulls of wood, plastic or low-magnetic steel.

Related Topics:
Hull - Wood - Plastic - Steel

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Mechanical sweeps are towed devices designed to cut the anchors of moored mines, and preferably attach a tag to help the subsequent localization and neutralization. Influence sweeps are towed equipment that emulates ship signatures, and thereby fools the mines to actuate. Most sweeps focus on the magnetic and accoustic signatures.

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There are two modes of operating an influence sweep: MSM (mine setting mode) and TSM (target setting mode). MSM sweeping is founded on intelligence on a given type of mine, and produces the output required for detonation of this mine. If such intelligence is unavailable, the TSM sweeping instead reproduces the influence of the friendly ship that is about to transit through the area. TSM sweeping thus clears mines directed at this ship whitout knowledge on the mines. However, mines directed at other ships might remain.

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The minesweeper is distinct from a minehunter, as the mines are neutralized without detection. Minesweepers are in many cases complementary to minehunters, depending on the operation and the environment. A minesweeper is in particular better at clearing an area of a large number of relatively simple mines - for example towing a wire sweep to cut loose floating contact mines or an electric loop with a powerful electric current to detonate magnetic mines. A minehunter is a ship that which is equipped to handle more advanced mines which need to be individually located on the sea bed and destroyed. Both kinds of ships are collectively called MCMVs - Mine Counter Measure Vessels.

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Helicopters towing underwater cables are sometimes used for minesweeping.

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Their weaponry is mostly designed for the destruction of mines (specialized mortars and short-range torpedoes), but as they are military ships, anti-aircraft and other combative weapons are usually present.

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see:

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• Royal Navy Hunt Class
• Alta class minesweeper
• Royal Navy Sandown Class
• USS Pivot (AM 276)