AMCM :) Flashcards
LEArN
The mission of the AMCM
As principal authority for the MIW missions, SMWDC:
Develops doctrine, tactics, techniques, & processes for MIW.
Supports Operational Commanders with MIW battle staff and/or MCM Staff.
Supports Combatant Commanders with MIW operational & contingency plan development.
Supports numbered fleet commanders for MIW training & certification.
Focuses efforts across the MIW mission area.
Promotes rapid delivery of new technologies & training through Sea Shield Trial
Operational Control of MCM Forces
Through operational control of surface, air, & underwater MCM forces, it maintains deployable staff/other fleet assets to support and ensure safe passage and security.
Ensuring Readiness
SMWDC ensures readiness to conduct offensive and defensive MIW ops.
Planning and Intelligence
advisor to fleet commander, SMWDC provides planning, intelligence on foreign on mines forces and tactics against other mines forces
SMWDC
Naval Surface & Mine Warfighting Command
LPD - Definition
Amphibious Transport Dock
LPD - Description
Amphibious transports are warships that embark, transport, and land with a landing force (AMCM) for a variety of warfare missions
What are the two helicopter mcm squadrons?
HM 14 and HM 15, both located in NS Norfolk VA
What is a Surface Lift?
Capable of rapid deployment within 72 hours
What is the primary Mission?
Mine hunting
Minesweeping
Floating Mine Destruction
Channel Marking
Surface Towing (e.g. towing of surface craft & ships
What is the Secondary Mission?
Movement of Cargo & equipment.
Transportation of passengers.
LHA Definition
Landing Helicopter Asault
LHA Description
Amphibious assault ship designed to put troops on hostile shores. Also a secondary role as ground support.
LHD Definition
Landing Helicopter Dock
LHD Description
Put on hostile Shores. Secondary role they preform sea control and limited power projection missions.
Influence Minesweeping
Magnetic/Acoustic field that simulates the real magnetic signature of a ship introduced into water. Causes mine to actuate.
Mechanical Minesweeping
Any sweep used to physically sever the tether of a moored mine.
AMCM squadrons must have the following support
Provide a means to launch & recover minesweeping equipment.
Provide Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation.
Embark up to eight MH-53E helicopters.
Provide accommodations & messing for a large squadron population (up to 500).
Provide multiple maintenance/office/work spaces.
Provide stowage for a high volume of AMCM systems, equipment, & support equipment.
Provide organizational & intermediate maintenance facilities.
Provide high volume of supply support.
MH-53E Sea Dragon
99 feet long/79 foot rotor arc
150 knot cruise
Max Gross weight 69,750 pounds
21,800 Lbs. of fuel
Air re-fuelable from KC-130 & helicopter in-flight refueling (HIFR) rigs.
4.9 hours mission time.
25,000 Lbs. tow tension limit
25,000 Lbs. external cargo
Capable of carrying up to 55 troops or a 16-ton payload 50 nautical miles, or a 10-ton payload 500 nautical miles.
What are the two pieces of sonar equipment used by AMCM squadrons
AN/AQS-14A, AN/ALQ-141
AN/AQS-24
It is an active-controlled, helicopter-towed Minehunting sonar
AN/AQS-24 consists of three parts
A Stabilized Underwater Vehicle,
An Electro-Mechanical Tow Cable
An Airborne Electronic Console
MK-103 Mechanical Sweep
Helicopter-towed system designed to counter moored mines.
Consists of a tow wire, sweep wires, explosive cutters, floats, a depressor, otters, & float pendants.
MK-104 Acoustic Sweep
Contains an acoustic signature generator with 5 unmodulated frequency variations.
Consists of a cavitating disk within a venture tube, driven by two self-rotating & cavitating disks
MK-105 Magnetic Sweep
high-speed hydrofoil sled that carries a gas turbine generator to power its magnetic sweep gear,
There are MK-105 upgrades that would allow for more efficient Minesweeping:
new magnetic cable system , improved magnetic cables , more supportable and effective power pack
MK-106 Magnetic/Acoustic Sweep
used for combination acoustic/magnetic mines.
, MK-104 towed in tandem with the MK-105 or the MK-104 is attached to the MK-105 sled
AN/SPU-1/W:
used to sweep waters too shallow for the MK-105 hydrofoil sleds.
magnetic influence works in fresh and salt water
MOP
Magnetic Orange Pipe, filled with Styrofoam
MK 2(G
acoustic sweep called rattle bars, consists of parallel pipes or bars to get to speeds from 4 to 10 knots, produces Bernoulli effect also has an acoustic output that can detonate mines
AMCM Magnetic specific components
MH-53E, MK 105 and AN/SPU -1W(MOP)
AMCM Acoustic specific components
MH-53E, MK-104, & the a MK-2G
basic types of minefields
Offensive Minefields
Defensive Minefields
Protective Minefields
Why early positioning should be completed in offensive Minefield
present an early danger to the enemy, lessen the need for early replenishment
Advantages of offensive minefield
Pose the greatest damage potential to the enemy & threaten friendly forces the least, Reduce enemy threat on the open ocean.
Disadvantages of Offensive Minefield
Must be delivered in the face of enemy defenses & may not be replenishable.
Not easily monitored for effectiveness.
Advantages of Defensive Minefield
Pose less opposition to minelaying & allow for replenishment.
Offer more choices in mine types & delivery modes & allow for more effective field monitoring.
Disadvantages of defensive minefield
Friendly or neutral passage must be ensured for allied shipping, boundaries have to be enforced, minefield locations in international waters may pose difficulties positioning mines and enemy’s may mine in inernational waters
Offensive Minefield
is laid in enemy territorial water or waters under enemy control , & presents the most threat to enemies
Defensive minefield
positioned in international waters or international straits, Designed to hold back the opposition, controlling shipping in defense of sea communications
Protective minefield
laid in friendly territorial waters to protect ports, harbors, anchorage, coasts, & coastal routes.
also to protect soldiers equipment, supplies, & facilities from enemy attack or other threats.
Advantages of protective minefield
are well-known & present little opposition to minelayers & are the simplest to plan & do not require mine countermeasures. can use older, less sophisticated mines & can always be replenished
Disadvantages of protective minefield
Present danger to friendly shipping operating near or through the minefield & require precise marking of the area.
Need to be known to friendly forces.
0-80ft deep ground mines
100% of the shockwave & gas pulse reach the surface
80-150 Ft. Deep ground mines
100% of the shockwave, but only 50% of the gas pulse, reaches the surface
150 Ft. & Deeper ground mines
100% of the shockwave, but 0% of the gas pulse, reaches the surface
When planning minefield placement, consideration is given to the following geographic features:
Suitable water depth, choke points, ports exits
width of the minefield determines
the number of mines
length of the minefield is used to
minimum mine spacing, with a goal of “Uniform Randomness.”
IP
Initial Point
In order to layout a minefield, both personnel & assets require preparation time, including
Mine inventories,- mines not ready for delivery,
Mine delivery can be accomplished in three ways:
Air
Surface
Sub-Surface
Measure of Effectiveness (MOE) is the quantitative goal of the minefield
Mine locations and characteristics.
Ship influence signatures.
Ship transit routes.
Environmental conditions
Water Depth:
mine’s probability of detection, damage radius, and physical integrity are affected by depth.
Too deep, target may pass without actuating the mine.
Too shallow, explosive power may be lost.
Winds:
Can have a direct impact on the sea state, swells, & the accuracy of air-delivered mines.
Seawater Temperature:
High seawater temperature can reduce the life of a naval mine’s battery.
Seas & Swells:
A pressure sensor can be affected by the pressure signature of a wave.
When possible, lay pressure mines in sheltered areas where sea state will not affect the sensor.
Can also cause mine burial & mine movement, & heavy swells can cause a sensitive magnetic sensor to actuate.
Sea Ice:
better for pressure mines, decrease effectiveness of acoustic mines, Large chunks can activate mines
Tides:
shallow waters suject to tidal variations,
alter the depth at which a mine moors,
Selection of mooring depth is determined by total water depth, tidal ranges, & currents
Currents:
High surface currents may affect the response of certain influence mines.
May also affect bottom mines, by causing a rolling motion that results in false actuations.
Water Clarity:
Transparency varies between operational areas and is dependent upon the amount, absorption, and scattering of light by particles suspended in the water.
In very clear water, mines will be visible & may be countered or avoided.
Marine Life
degrade performance of acoustic sensors and can produce an increase in ambient background noise.
, increase the amount that a moored mine case will dip
Bottom Conditions
slope cutter type
slope
normally avoid areas with greater than 10° of bottom slope
clutter
Bottom clutter will increase the difficulty for Minehunting systems to locate mines
type
Determines the likelihood of mine burial, scouring, & sand ridge migration,
Timing
timing factor involved in minefield planning is defined as the interval between mine deployment and the field’s activation, can control the desired duration of the mine threat
Logistics and Availability:
The type and quantity of mines available for minefield use is determined by:
The location of mine stocks
The time required for mine assembly
The type and quantity of minelayers available to seed or reseed minefields is determined by:
The location of minelaying assets.
Transit time from mine stocks to minefields
A Value
characteristics search width for the Minehunting Sonar & the characteristic actuation or cutting width for the Minesweeping Systems.
B Value
characteristic probability that the Minehunting Sonar will detect a mine or the probability of a Minesweeping System actuating or cutting a mine
Search Theory
simplifies the many variables of the MCM System-Mine interaction to two values: “A” & “B
risk
one of the two MOE, simple risk or complex risk,
simple risk
provides the probability for mission abort damage of the first transiting ship through a mined area
complex risk
considers the risk for multiple transiting ships and for multiple passes by a transiting ship.
Sources of historical information include:
Mine warfare environmental surveys
USN MIW Pilots
Special Tactical Ocean Information Charts (STOIC)
Q-Route survey mosaics
Environmental guides
Bottom contour charts
Port guides/sailing directories
Local fisherman’s “hang book”
Foreign charts
Comprehensive Environmental Assessment System (CEAS) (Digital MIW Databases)
USN MIW Pilot is a
historical environmental summary of a given area generated by a ship, Nature of the area
Human activities
Climatology
Tides/Currents/Waves
Sea ice
Physical properties of seawater
Seabed characteristics
Acoustic environment/Magnetic environment
Bottom pressure
Biological environment
Wrecks and obstructions
Magnetic sweep parameters
Directive Alpha:
Primary concern is to minimize the risk of the MCM assets. Timely completion of the task is of secondary importance
Directive Bravo:
Balance the risk to the MCM assets & the time available to complete the task.
Directive Charlie:
Primary concern is the timely completion of the task. Risk to MCM assets is of secondary importance.
10 step process
- Access the situation
- provide guidance to battle force
- identify the mcm objectives
- assess the mine threat
- assess the local enviorment
- assess mcm force capabilities
- develop an mcm tactical plan
- determine mcm force support requiremnts
- implement the mcm tactical plan
- monitor and evaluate progress
Mines w/High Ship Count:
These counter-countermeasures increase the difficulty of sweeping, but not Minehunting.
Likely Action is to Hunt.
Mines w/Low Ship Count:
The mines in an enemy minefield designed to oppose an amphibious assault would most probably have low ship counts since the enemy is trying to prevent the landing.
As such, it might be quicker to sweep the mines (adding to the element of surprise) than to hunt.
Likely Action is to Sweep.
Mines w/Delay Arm:
These counter-countermeasures increase the difficulty of sweeping, but not Minehunting.
The arming delay consists of a timing mechanism, usually a clock, that keeps the arming circuits open for a preset time after emplacement.
The delay can vary from a few hours to more than a year. During this time, sweeping is ineffective because the mine cannot be actuated. When the arming delay lapses, the mine is armed.
Likely Action is to Hunt.
Coarse Mine Settings:
The minefield planner may set the sensors of the mines to actuate on the signatures of large target ships (supertankers, carriers, etc.) and this may impede a sweeping effort which cannot easily emulate such signatures.
Likely Action is to Hunt.
Sensitive Mine Settings:
Mines that are set sensitive are more susceptible to sweeping.
It is easier to satisfy their sensors.
Additionally, mines are generally deployed with sensitive settings to hazard small target vessels, i.e. SMCM units.
Influence sweeping by AMCM units is very effective (& safe) against mines that have sensitive settings.
Likely Action is to Sweep.
Pressure Mines:
There is currently no safe method to sweep pressure mines.
If pressure mines are known to be present in an enemy’s minefield, the MCM Commander will more than likely decide to hunt.
However, the MCM Commander must take into account the effect of swells on pressure mines.
Acoustic Mines:
Acoustic mines that employ a hydrophone in their sensing circuit can be countered by hunting or sweeping by the use of acoustic influence devices from AMCM or SMCM assets.
Magnetic Mines:
Magnetic mines that employ a magnetic field sensor (Magnetometer) in their sensing circuit can be countered by hunting or sweeping by the use of magnetic influence systems or devices from AMCM or SMCM assets.
Bottom or Moored:
Bottom mines can be hunted by sonar or swept by influence systems from AMCM or SMCM assets.
Moored mines can be hunted or swept by mechanical sweeping systems from AMCM or SMCM assets.
Combination Mines:
When influence mines are configured with multiple firing requirements, each of the individual influences must be satisfied to fire the mine.
This is an example of counter-countermeasure devices that make MCM efforts more difficult.
They can be countered by hunting or sweeping combination influence systems from AMCM or SMCM assets.
US Navy MCM assets only employ magnetic-acoustic combination influence systems.
Seismic Mines:
Seismic mines that employ a sensor in their sensing circuit can be countered by hunting or sweeping by the use of influence devices from AMCM or SMCM assets.
Moored Threat:
only mine that threatens the SMCM platforms, use AMCM helos,
Ground Threat:
SIx types of areas of MINEnet
Rectangles, Polygons, Circles, Channels, Anchorage Grids, 4W Grids
reference databases
Tactical Performance Database, Mine Threat Database (MTDB), Meteorological and Oceanographic , Survey Contacts
Contact Directory:
listing of mine or mine-like contacts that have been located, identified, classified, neutralized, & removed.
Each type of contact has its own color & shape. These contacts can be transmitted & received from ship to ship as long as the ship is MNT capable.
Rectangles
4-sided areas that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as operating areas, fire support areas, staging areas, etc.
Polygons
Multi-sided (4 or more) shapes that may be rectangular in shape or created with more than 4 sides to accommodate special purposes such as operating areas or Mine Threat Areas
Circles
Used to designate Mine Danger Areas (MDAs) where a mine has been confirmed to exist
Channels
- Used to indicate Q-Routes, boat lanes, etc
Anchorage Grids
Used to designate mine-free areas suitable for friendly vessel anchorage
4W Grids
These are very similar in construct to Anchorage Grids in that they are subdivided areas that are designated by alpha-numeric codes
Tactical Performance Database
a collection of descriptions for the effectiveness of various types of equipment with specific settings in specific modes or configurations
Mine Threat Database
is a collection of mine threat data
Meteorological and Oceanographic
data consist of all environmental variables that affect an MCM mission, such as forecasted sea states, bottom types, or bathymetry
MH-53E Sea Dragon:
primary mission is AMCM,
Secondary Mission movement of cargo/equipment/ and transportation up to 55 passengers
Speed- 150 knots, 7 blade main rotor, 4 blade tail rotor
