Drones are probing the Strait of Hormuz for Iranian mines as the U.S. military works toward reopening the key waterway.
The need to get rid of the mines comes as the U.S. Navy is in transition from its fleet of minesweepers, four of which were recently retired, to sea drones, according toFox News.
“To be honest, that the minesweepers retired was never a concern to me, because we had brought in newer technology,” retired Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan, who previously commanded the Navy’s 5th Fleet, said.
Drones are working both above and below water.
Underwater drones map the ocean floor and use high-resolution sonar to discern which objects might be mines.
“They kind of look like torpedoes and they map the bottom,” Donegan said.
Surface drones tow sonar systems through narrow lanes, accompanied by helicopters that scan for mines near the surface.
Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute, said finding mines is just the beginning.
“The mine neutralization part is really the long leg of the process,” Clark said.
Remotely controlled systems are used to disable a mine by either blowing it up or punching a hole in it so that it sinks.
Source: VidNews » Feed
