The mine war: How unmanned vessels are securing Hormuz

The mining of the Strait of Hormuzby the Iranians has created a problem that may take a considerable amount of time to solve. The locating, detecting and disarming of a mine is a dangerous task. The US Navy has pushed forward with demining the troubled stretch of water. By clearing the mines at the earliest, commercial shipping will be able to traverse the water body at the earliest, thus bringing down oil prices globally, as about 20% of global oil and gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz mostly towards East Asia.



Using Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MSM USV) offers a safe way of tackling a minefield. The US Navy currently operates Fleet-class of these systems, they are also known as Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSV). These vessels are made of aluminum, which is a non-ferrous metal. The use of such material ensures that the vessel does not trigger a magnetic mine. When deployed with its payload delivery system, the MSM USV can be used for mine sweeping and mine hunting. These boats can also be used for anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare missions. In an optionally manned mode the CUSV can also be used for special forces insertions and extractions, according to the US Navy.




The Indian Navy currently operates the Compact Autonomous Surface Craft All Domain Effects (CASCADE) Autonomous Surface Vehicles (AUVs). These vessels carry Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) to counter mines.


Late last year, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) announced that its Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL) has developed a Man-portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (MP-AUVs). The MP-AUVs will be equipped with side scan sonar and under water cameras for real time classification of naval mines. These underwater systems will be equipped with a robust underwater communication system to ensure seamless situational awareness.