Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!mintaka!olivea!oliveb!veritas!amdcad!amdcad!military From: PAISLEY%auvm.auvm.edu@VM1.gatech.edu Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: CAPTOR Mines, Stealth Ships, Army aviation Message-ID: <1991Apr12.055221.14250@amd.com> Date: 11 Apr 91 18:29:00 GMT References: <1991Apr5.091616.7373@amd.com> Sender: military@amd.com Organization: The American University - University Computing Center Lines: 33 Approved: military@amd.com From: >From: lam@handel.cs.colostate.edu (mark lam) >I just read an article asking about CAPTOR mines that, unfortunately, didn't >get saved. According to "Modern Naval Combat," the CAPTOR mine system is >under development (as of 1986.) Its one drawback, however, is that it has >no IFF. Therefore, any CAPTOR mine fields would have to be avoided by >friendly >forces. The book mentions that the mine might allow some targets to pass >before firing. If anybody has any up-to-date information about CAPTOR, I >would be interested in finding out about it. In the 1991 edition of their annual force review, the US Navy League's magazine said the CAPTOR used a system that could analyze the sound of a potential target, and then fire its Mk-46 on targets fitting the description programmed, so friendly subs have nothing to worry about. By the way, IFF doesn't have to do with sonar, it's a two-way ID method for aircraft. >Also, taking up the theme of "Stealth Ships," what about the USN's trawlers >that trail towed sonar arrays? I thought that they were supposed to Stealthy. You must be talking about the T-AGOS ships. These ships are used for ocean acoustic survielence (sp?) to detect subs at long range. The newest ones, starting will hull 17 (I think, I don't know the name) have a new twin hull design to reduce water surface area on the hull so that they are quieter and can listen better. -- L. GORDON PAISLEY, PAISLEY@AUVM.AUVM.EDU THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC USA