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AN/SLQ-48

Introduction from the Federation of American Scientists: AN/SLQ-48 - Mine Neutralization Vehicle.

To identify and neutralize mines, the MCM 1 and MHC 51 Classes utilize the AN/SLQ-48 Mine Neutralization System, developed by Alliant Techsystems, which is the main battery of both classes of ships. The AN/SLQ-48 system uses a remote-controlled submersible vehicle to identify underwater objects and, if they are mines, render them safe. The prime feature is the 2700 pound, tethered, TV and sonar-equipped Mine Neutralization Vehicle (MNV), which places an explosive destructive charge on bottom mines, and cuts the cables of moored mines. The AN/SLQ-48 is not well suited to the neutralization of shallow-water mines. The vehicle tends to be underpowered and may leave on the bottom a mine that looks like a mine to any subsequent sonar search and an explosive charge subject to later detonation under proper impact conditions.

The MCM 1 class holds two AN/SLQ-48 vehicles onboard to counter the threat of mines. The main difference between the installation on the two classes is the vehicle launch/recovery system. The MCM Class has a burtoning (yard and stay) rig, starboard, amidships, while the MHC 51 uses an articulated crane on the fantail.

The mine neutralization vehicle is a self-propelled remote-controlled submarine. The vehicle's low acoustic and magnetic signature make it virtually invisible to even the most modern sea mines. The Mine Neutralization Vehicle is the primary subsystem of the Navy's Mine Neutralization System (MNS). The vehicle has a long body and is powered by a central electrohydraulic system which drives its thrusters. The streamlined external fairing is of fiberglass, and buoyancy is provided by syntactic foam. The sensor package consists of a mine-hunting sonar and two television cameras. In addition to the vehicle, MNS consists of an Umbilical Cable Handling System (UCHS), Vehicle Handling System (VHS), shipboard power supply, and associated control consoles. All these components were developed by SSC San Diego. The system works in conjunction with a shipboard mine hunting sonar and precise inertial navigation system.

Electrical power and data are transmitted via a neutrally-buoyant, 3,500 foot long umbilical cable. If the umbilical cable separates, the vehicle automatically returns to the surface and activates its responder and flasher. The cable is handled by the Umbilical Cable Handling System, which utilizes a winch designed to pay out and take up cable while maintaining a constant cable tension. The vehicle is powered by a 2,500V transformer, which is located in the UCHS room. The vehicle moves underwater by way of its four thrusters, located on the aft and mid part of the fuselage. One thruster provides vertical momentum, one provides sideways momentum, while the other two propel the vehicle forward. Navigation and minehunting are facilitated by two video cameras, fore and aft, a sonar dome, and several powerful lamps.

The vehicle's mission packages are all located forward. The MNS presently carries two mission packages -- one to cut the mooring cable of moored mines, allowing them to rise to the surface for subsequent neutralization or recovery/exploitation (MP-1) and one to destroy bottom mines by placing an explosive charge near the mine (MP-2). A new mission package, MP-3, to destroy moored mines in-place recently successfully completed its Follow-On Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E). The FOT&E report was approved and signed by COMOPTEVFOR on 4 Nov 96 and stated that MP-3 was "operationally effective and suitable," and recommended it for Fleet introduction.

While in operation, the minehunting sonar makes initial contact with the target mine. The Mine Neutralization Vehicle is deployed using the vehicle handling system to visually identify objects under the water. Using the control console located in the ship's Combat Information Center, the vehicle's pilot can guide the vehicle under the water towards the target. The MNV, powered through an umbilical cable from the ship, is given a vector to the target by ship sonar information. The operator flies the MNV based on the vehicle sonar and/or TV information. The MNV is flown by the operator toward the target using an installed tracking system until the vehicleąs own sensors acquire the target. Once within range, the vehicle sends back a real-time video image of the object. If the object is identified as a mine, the vehicle can deploy an explosive charge on the bottom mine, or the explosive cutter on the mooring cable of the moored mine. Once the explosive is in place, the MNV is returned to the ship, and the explosive device is actuated by a coded acoustic signal broadcast by the she ship's hydrophone. The system was developed by Honeywell for the US Navy.

The Mine Neutralization System (MNS) and the minehunting sonar constitute the main difference between WWII and modern day mine countermeasures. WWII mine countermeasures emphasized minesweeping, emphasis today tends toward minehunting and neutralization due to the complexity of some modern influence mines, which make sweeping extremely difficult. There are ocean areas where rocks and other bottom clutter make minehunting ineffective so ships need both minesweeping and minehunting capability. The effectiveness of these tools has been proven again and again in both practice and actual minehunting missions.
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Size	Image Description	Contributed By/ Source
201k	Sailors aboard the mine countermeasures ship Champion (MCM 4) prepare to lower the *AN/SLQ-48* “Mine Neutralization Vehicle” into the water, Jul. 22, 2002. The remotely operated vehicle uses sonar and video cameras to find and identify underwater objects. If the operators find a mine, the vehicle can place small explosive charges near the mine to neutralize it. *Champion* is participating in Gulf of Mexico Exercise 02-2 near Corpus Christi, TX. During the exercise, *Champion* was tasked with searching for and clearing exercise “mines” from critical waterways in the area.	U.S. Navy photo N-5745B-002 by Lieutenant Marc Boyd. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
224k	Sailors aboard the mine countermeasures ship Champion (MCM 4) prepare to lower the *AN/SLQ-48* “Mine Neutralization Vehicle” into the water, Jul. 22, 2002.	U.S. Navy photo N-5745B-003 by Lieutenant Marc Boyd. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
143k	An *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralizer is hoisted over the side of Pioneer (MCM 9) Dec. 10, 2002 for a planned mine sweeping exercise off San Clemente Island. *Pioneer* is homeported in Ingleside, Texas and is currently conducting exercises near San Diego, Calif.	U.S. Navy photo N-8029P-012 by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Ramon Preciado. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
118k	An *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralizer is hoisted over the side of Pioneer (MCM 9) Dec. 10, 2002 for a planned mine sweeping exercise off San Clemente Island.	U.S. Navy photo N-8029P-018 by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Ramon Preciado. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
77k	Mineman 2nd Class Mario Adame from Tucson, Ariz., is an instructor aboard the Mine Warfare Training Center at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas, Apr. 15, 2003. Petty Officer Adame trains students on the operation and maintenance of the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization System. Petty Officer Adame is shown here demonstrating a repair on the umbilical cable. The remotely operated submersible is used to detect and neutralize mines in waters up to 2000 feet	U.S. Navy photo N-5862D-048 by Chief Photographer's Mate Chris Desmond. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
161k	Mineman 1st Class Jayson Calton, from Booneville, Miss., prepares to lower the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization system in the training pool at the Mine Warfare Training Center at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas, Apr. 16, 2003. Students get the experience operating the remotely operated submersible during their course of instruction. The remotely operated submersible is used to detect and neutralize mines in waters up to 2000 feet. U.S. Navy photo by	U.S. Navy photo N-5862D-129 by Chief Photographer's Mate Chris Desmond. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
188k	Mineman 2nd Class Christine Beal, from Franklin, Maine and her instructor Mineman 2nd Class Mario Adame observe the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization system submerge in the training pool at the Mine Warfare Training Center at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas, Apr. 16, 2003. Students get the experience operating the remotely operated submersible during their course of instruction. Beal will report aboard the Kingfisher (MHC 57) after completing this advanced training on the two-million-dollar system.	U.S. Navy photo N-5862D-154 by Chief Photographer's Mate Chris Desmond. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
64k	Mineman 2nd Class Christine Beal, from Franklin, Maine, guides the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization system into it's cradle after a short dive in the training pool at the Mine Warfare Training Center. Students get the experience operating the remotely operated submersible during their course of instruction.	U.S. Navy photo N-5862D-121 by Chief Photographer's Mate Chris Desmond. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
157k	Commanding Officer, Dextrous (MCM 13), Lt. Cmdr. Michael Riley shows Commodore, Destroyer Squadron Two Eight (DESRON 28), Capt. Thomas H. Copeman, the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization System while visiting the Avenger-class mine warfare ship on June 23, 2004. Commodore Copeman is staying aboard the guided missile destroyer Bulkeley (DDG 84) while participating in exercises aimed at fighting the global war on terrorism in the Arabian Gulf. Bulkeley is on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).	U.S. Navy photo N-5319A-004 by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Brien Aho. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
406k	Water streams off a Navy *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization Vehicle as it is raised out of the Persian Gulf on July 28, 2004. The vehicle's system uses a remote-controlled submersible vehicle to identify and render underwater objects as safe. The *AN/SLQ-48* is attached to the countermeasure ship Dextrous (MCM 13), which is deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.	DoD photo N-4374S-009 by Petty Officer 2nd class Michael Sandberg, U.S. Navy. Courtesy of defenselink.mil.
176k	Sailors assigned to the mine countermeasure ship Dextrous (MCM 13) raise the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization Vehicle, July 28, 2004 in the Arabian Gulf. The *AN/SLQ-48* uses a remote-controlled submersible vehicle to identify and neutralize underwater mines. *Dextrous* is forward deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.	U.S. Navy photo N-4374S-010 by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
173k	Sailors assigned to the mine countermeasure ship Dextrous (MCM 13) raise the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization Vehicle, July 28, 2004 in the Arabian Gulf. The *AN/SLQ-48* uses a remote-controlled submersible vehicle to identify and neutralize underwater mines. *Dextrous* is forward deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.	U.S. Navy photo N-4374S-005 by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
336k	Mineman Steven Hill lowers the *AN/SLQ-48* Mine Neutralization Vehicle in the Arabian Gulf by using a vehicle handling system (VHS) aboard the mine countermeasure ship Dextrous (MCM 13).	U.S. Navy photo N-4374S-004 by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.
192k	Sailors assigned to the mine countermeasure ship Dextrous (MCM 13) lower an *AN/SLQ-48* .	U.S. Navy photo N-4374S-002 by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg. Courtesy of news.navy.mil.

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
AVENGER CLASS MINE COUNTERMEASURES VESSEL.
AN/SLQ-48 - Mine Neutralization Vehicle.
New Mini-Subs Hunt and Destroy Mines

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