Don Brutzman and Rear Admiral Rick Williams USN (Ret.)

Abstract. Naval Mine Warfare (MIW) includes two distinct, different missions:  active mining and mine countermeasures (MCM).  Exponential progress in robotics, sensor networks, autonomy and sustainable logistics present new opportunities for Naval mining to deliberately defend against steadily increasing global threats.  Splitting sensor suites from munition sets can enable active mining to reshape and change the operational battlespace. Judicious employment of Naval mining can allow U.S. forces to “attack effectively first” when overseas aggressors threaten freedom of navigation, international maritime commerce, national boundaries, and vital U.S. interests.  Deliberately applying a mining focus to feasible theater capabilities is a Hedge Strategy for emerging concepts in future fleet force design.  This work proposes building a new software tool that supports quantitatively assessing new mining concepts, providing a realistic basis for in-depth cross-disciplinary analytic understanding.

Now available: point paper and presentation.

Presented at 18th International Mine Warfare Technology Symposium (IMWTS), San Diego, Thursday 4 June 2026, hosted by the Mine Warfare Association (MINWARA).

This symposium presentation is dedicated to the memory of Rear Admiral John D. Pearson USN, former Mine Warfare Commander and NPS Chair Professor of Mine Warfare, 1939-2026.