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In war, you win or lose, live or die - and the difference is an eyelash.

-- General Douglas MacArthur

U.S. Navy Mines

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Description
Mines are used as an anti-ship or anti-submarine, subsurface weapon.

Background
The MK56 ASW mine (the oldest still in use) was developed in 1966. Since that time, more advances in technology have given way to the MK62 and MK63 Quickstrike and the MK67 SLMM (Submarine Launched Mobile Mine). Most mines in today's arsenal are aircraft delivered to target.

General Characteristics, MK67 Submarine Launched Mobile Mine (SLMM)

Primary Function: Destroy enemy shipping. The SLMM was developed as a submarine deployed mine for use in areas inaccessible for other mine deployment techniques or for covert mining of hostile environments. The SLMM is a shallow water mine consisting basically of a modified MK37 torpedo.
Date Deployed: 1987.
Length: 161 inches (409 centimeters)
Diameter: 19 inches (48.5 centimeters)
Weight: 1658 pounds (754 kilograms).
Depth: Shallow water.
Guidance System: Magnetic/seismic or Magnetic/seismic/pressure target detection devices (TDDs).
Warhead: 510 pounds (230 kilograms) of high explosive.
Type: Submarine laid bottom mine.

General Characteristics, MK65 Quickstrike

Primary Function: Destroy enemy shipping. The Quickstrike is a family of shallow water aircraft laid mines used primarily against surface craft. The MK65 is a 2,000 lb mine. Other Quickstrike versions (MK62, MK63, and MK64) are converted general purpose bombs of the 500 lb. and 1000 lb. sizes.
Date Deployed: 1983.
Length: 128 inches (325 centimeters)
Diameter: 29 inches across the fins (74 centimeters)
Weight: 2390 pounds (1086 kilograms).
Depth: Shallow water.
Guidance System: Magnetic/seismic/pressure target detection devices (TDDs) are used on various models.
Warhead: Various loads.
Type: Aircraft laid bottom mine.

General Characteristics, MK56

Primary Function: Destroy enemy shipping.
Date Deployed: 1966.
Length: 114.3 inches (290 centimeters).
Diameter: 22.4 inches (57 centimeters).
Weight: 2000 pounds (909 kilograms).
Depth: Moderate depths.
Guidance System: Total field magnetic exploder.
Warhead: 360 pounds (164 kilograms) HBX-3.
Type: Aircraft laid moored mine.
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