Interesting read. Thanks for writing. I didnt know mines were this big a danger. Why is it dangerous to deploy them manually that a drone is more useful?
Also, do you think this is a first of its kind drone? Considering the number of countries interested in hurting international trade, wonder why mines (inc manually deployed) weren't used by those groups?
Thanks for reading. Manual mine deployment is risky in general because it exposes crews to accidents, detection, and retaliation, and is also slow and limited. Underwater drones can travel long distances submerged, carry more mines, and, in general, are way more effective.
For the second question, China’s new drone isn’t the first of its kind (the U.S. has similar large underwater drones, like Boeing’s Echo Voyager and the Orca XLUUV program).
As for why we don’t see more mine deployment from other countries, the barriers are primarily technical and political. Mining seaways is politically and legally risky, since wide-area mining can cause diplomatic blowback and sanctions. It also risks military retaliation and is logistically demanding. Here is a further resource on that: Convention (VIII) relative to the Laying of Automatic Submarine Contact Mines: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/hague-conv-viii-1907
Interesting read. Thanks for writing. I didnt know mines were this big a danger. Why is it dangerous to deploy them manually that a drone is more useful?
Also, do you think this is a first of its kind drone? Considering the number of countries interested in hurting international trade, wonder why mines (inc manually deployed) weren't used by those groups?
Thanks for reading. Manual mine deployment is risky in general because it exposes crews to accidents, detection, and retaliation, and is also slow and limited. Underwater drones can travel long distances submerged, carry more mines, and, in general, are way more effective.
For the second question, China’s new drone isn’t the first of its kind (the U.S. has similar large underwater drones, like Boeing’s Echo Voyager and the Orca XLUUV program).
As for why we don’t see more mine deployment from other countries, the barriers are primarily technical and political. Mining seaways is politically and legally risky, since wide-area mining can cause diplomatic blowback and sanctions. It also risks military retaliation and is logistically demanding. Here is a further resource on that: Convention (VIII) relative to the Laying of Automatic Submarine Contact Mines: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/hague-conv-viii-1907