Page 12: of Marine Technology Magazine (March 2025)

SUBSEA DEFENSE MINE WARFARE weapon engagement zones (WEZs), If conventional minelaying methods Despite heightened tensions, Taiwan conventional minelaying will be in- can be blunted by enemy sensors and remains one of China’s largest trad- creasingly risky. Submarines are highly weapons, how could mine warfare play ing partners, and Chinese ? agged cargo effective covert minelaying platforms, a role in future con? ict? Because mines ships originating in Dalian, Ningbo, and but their multi-mission pro? le will place can be deployed covertly from a wide other Chinese ports routinely pass within them in high demand, and the increas- range of non-military platforms - com- ten nautical miles of Zuoying Naval Base ing presence of littoral anti-submarine mercial cargo vessels, ? shing boats, while enroute to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s networks could constrain their use in a passenger vessels, and even unmanned “Maritime Capital.” These waters are mine warfare role. Aircraft can rapidly surface vehicles (USVs). This ? exibil- less than 300 meters deep, well within deploy mines over large areas, but are ity, in addition to its highly advanced the WEZ of modern bottom mines.

vulnerable to modern air defenses, while capabilities, makes the modern sea mine minelaying ships face threats from land, a persistent, insidious, and evolving Deploying from Ships sea, and air. Mine stocks and minelay- challenge. Three commercial-off-the-shelf con- ing platforms could also be preemptive- A potential cross-strait con? ict between tainerized mine warfare solutions al- ly targeted, effectively removing them China and Taiwan provides a compelling ready exist, and can provide insight from the board before the game even case study. Defense analysts have raised into a notional Chinese deployment begins. Of course, overt minelaying can alarms over China’s rapid shipbuilding, system. The CUBE from SH Defence, serve as a valuable deterrent, signaling warning that any large-scale Chinese a Danish provider of turnkey maritime an adversary before hostilities begin, amphibious assault could involve civilian equipment solutions, is a containerized but it is covert expeditionary mining, RORO ferries. If Chinese civil-military minelaying system using a conveyor designed to achieve objectives within integration could enable such a dual-use belt to deploy different mine types. or near adversary waters, that can effec- amphibious ? eet, it is entirely plausible Finnish munitions company Forcit De- tively disrupt, delay, or deny an enemy that it could also enable commercial fence produces SUMICO, a minelaying freedom of movement in the maritime cargo vessels to serve as cover for clan- system designed to ? t inside a 40-foot domain. destine Chinese minelaying operations. shipping container that can deploy var-

The CUBE from SH Defence is a containerized minelaying system using a conveyor belt to deploy different mine types.

(Photo courtesy SH Defence) 12 March/April 2025

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