September 15, 2005
The U.S. Navy has ordered three ALMDS (Airborne Laser Mine Detection System), at $42 million each. The navy plans to buy 57 ALMDS by 2011. The system uses lasers to detect mines on, or just below, the surface of the water. In the past, these job was performed by helicopters hauling a specially equipped sled through the water. ALMDS does the job a lot more quickly. ALMDS, which is carried in an MH-60S helicopter, can quickly detect, identify and precisely locate mines. The MH-60S can operate from most American warships. While ALMDS is a big improvement over older methods, the most dangerous mines these days are the ones that sit on the bottom. These are much more difficult to clear. However, most bottom mines can only be used in water depths of 200 feet, or less. So for deep water areas that might be mined, ALMDS can check out the situation very quickly. Bottom mines are usually detected by a sled (pulled by a helicopter), containing sonar, that locates things on the bottom that might be mines, then sends in an expendable mini-sub to check it out more closely, and leave behind an explosive charge if the object is indeed a bottom mine.
