Mark 60 CAPTOR

Mark 60 CAPTOR

Mark 60 mine being loaded into a B-52 Stratofortress at Loring Air Force Base in 1989
Type Antisubmarine naval mine
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1979
Used by United States Navy
Wars Cold War
Production history
Manufacturer Alliant Techsystems
Specifications
Weight Aircraft/ship-laid:1,077 kg (2,374 lb)
Submarine-laid:935 kg (2,061 lb)
Length Aircraft/ship-laid:3.68 m (145 in)
Submarine-laid:3.35 m (132 in)
Diameter 530 mm (21 in)

Effective firing range 8,000 yards (7,300 m)
Warhead Mark 46 torpedo
Warhead weight 44 kg (97 lb), PBXN-103

Engine Two-speed, reciprocating external combustion
Propellant Otto fuel II
Maximum depth 3,000 feet (910 m)
Speed >28 knots (52 km/h)
Guidance
system
Active or passive/active acoustic homing, snake or circle search, reliable acoustic path (RAP) sound propagation
Launch
platform
Aircraft, surface ship and submarines

The Mark 60 CAPTOR (Encapsulated Torpedo) is the United States Navy's primary anti-submarine naval mine. This deep-water mine is laid by ship, aircraft or submarine, and is anchored to the ocean floor. When its sonar detects a hostile submarine, the CAPTOR launches a Mark 46 torpedo.[1]

The name CAPTOR is short for enCAPsulated TORpedo.[1] The CAPTOR was the U.S. Navy's standard anti-submarine mine during the Cold War, having enough computer power to detect the difference in acoustic signature between ships and submarines. When an enemy submarine passes close by, the passive sonar detects it and releases the torpedo, which tracks the sound until it contacts the submarine hull and explodes.

References

  1. 1 2 Thomas, Vincent C. The Almanac of Seapower 1987 Navy League of the United States (1987) ISBN 0-9610724-8-2 p.191
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