Australia has placed an order with Rheinmetall for the delivery of intelligent naval mines, as the company announced on 29 August. This is a major order with a volume in the three-digit million euro range, with more to follow.
Details - such as type and number - about the intelligent sea mines, which are categorised as strategic weapons of war, have not been published. All that has been revealed is that the sea mines are to be the latest generation of systems and can be deployed from various platforms. Apparently, in addition to the characteristics and performance of the mines, the speed of delivery was also an award criterion. Rheinmetall reports that deliveries are scheduled to begin this year.
According to the company, the sea mines will be manufactured, supplied and supported in use by Rheinmetall subsidiaries RMW Italia, the competence centre for underwater defence systems, and Rheinmetall Defence Australia, the Australian national company.
Only recently, RMW Italia presented two modern sea mines at the Indo Pacific 2022 trade fair, Murena and the newer Asteria, which are described by RWM Italia as follows:
With a length of more than two metres and a weight of 780 kg, Murena is equipped with a warhead with 600 kg of explosives. The operating depth is between 6 and 300 metres with an uninterrupted operating time in the water of one year. The mine is triggered by acoustic, magnetic or pressure events. Switching between armed and safe is optionally possible via cable.
Asteria is almost three metres long, weighs around one tonne and can carry up to 600 kg of explosives. It can be used at depths of up to 300 metres and is safely functional after a year in the water. The detonators react to acoustics, magnetics, pressure and vibrations as well as to electrical and optical influences and can be remotely armed and safely activated via an acoustic link.
originally from Gerhard Heiming / ESuT
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