Stonefish (mine)
Encyclopedia
Named after a venomous fish
, the Stonefish influence mine is manufactured by a British
company (BAE Systems
). Originally, the weapon was supplied to the Royal Navy
, but it has also been exported to friendly countries such as Australia
, which has both warstock and training versions of Stonefish.
Stonefish mines generally have two suspension lugs in order to facilitate handling operations e.g. winching. They can be deployed by fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, surface vessels and submarines. It is a cylindrically shaped, modular weapon, comprising three separate sections which are joined together to form one unit:
There are four different versions of the Stonefish mine, only one of which is intended for use in combat. The other three versions are intended for training or target acquisition purposes. These are:
Two sizes of Stonefish explosive warhead are available for warstock mines i.e. 100 kg and 300 kg. However, the destructive power of a Stonefish mine can be adjusted by coupling multiple warheads together in different combinations. In this way, a Stonefish mine can have a warhead which weighs 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 or 600 kg. The ability to change the warhead size allows Stonefish to be deployed against small targets in shallow coastal waters or against large targets in deep ocean. Depending on the warhead configuration, a Stonefish mine can have a total weight of up to 990 kilograms. The physical measurements of a Stonefish mine are such that it can easily be loaded into the torpedo tubes of submarines, then deployed using a small charge of compressed air to expel it. Alternatively, if an optional air-drop kit is fitted it can also be deployed by maritime patrol aircraft such as the P-3 Orion
(connected to the aircraft via suspension lugs and an arming lanyard) its descent to the ocean surface slowed by a parachute
retard pack.
The computerised exploder in a Stonefish mine is microprocessor
-based. It features acoustic, magnetic and water pressure
displacement target detection sensors.
The DSP
circuitry includes such features as the ability to set thresholds regarding the signal strength and adjust sterilisation delay times. A portable electronic presetting kit can be used to reprogram the mine (e.g. uploading a new library of acoustic target signatures or increasing the arming delay from one hour to 10 days) before the mine is deployed.
The operating depth of Stonefish ranges between 30 and 200 metres. Its shelf life is 20 years, and it has an operational lifetime of 700 days after being deployed on the seabed. Stonefish incorporates arming delays, ship counting and self-sterilisation features which can be configured by the user.
Stonefish
Synanceia verrucosa is a fish species, sometimes lethal to humans, which is known as the reef stonefish or simply stonefish. They are carnivorous ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives on reef bottoms, camouflaged as a rock...
, the Stonefish influence mine is manufactured by a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company (BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
). Originally, the weapon was supplied to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, but it has also been exported to friendly countries such as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, which has both warstock and training versions of Stonefish.
Stonefish mines generally have two suspension lugs in order to facilitate handling operations e.g. winching. They can be deployed by fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, surface vessels and submarines. It is a cylindrically shaped, modular weapon, comprising three separate sections which are joined together to form one unit:
- launching system (e.g. nose fairing, tail-fin unit, parachute-pack and arming lanyardLanyardA lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects...
s for air-dropped delivery) - electronics pack (incorporating safety/arming devices, target processing computer and associated fuzeFuzeFuze Beverage, commercially referred to as just Fuze , is a manufacturer of teas and non-carbonated fruit drinks enriched with vitamins. Currently the brand consists of five vitamin-infused lines: Slenderize, Refresh, Tea, Defensify, and Vitalize...
mechanisms) - aluminisedAluminiumAluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
PBX high explosive warhead
There are four different versions of the Stonefish mine, only one of which is intended for use in combat. The other three versions are intended for training or target acquisition purposes. These are:
- Warstock mine. Used in combat. Contains an explosive warheadWarheadThe term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
. Incorporates acoustic, magnetic and pressure sensors, coupled with computerised electronics to provide target assessment i.e. whether the target is genuine, whether it is regarded as a legitimate enemy target, and whether it lies within the destructive blast radius of the warhead. DetonationDetonationDetonation involves a supersonic exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front propagating directly in front of it. Detonations are observed in both conventional solid and liquid explosives, as well as in reactive gases...
will only be triggered when all three criteria have been met.
- Drill practice mine. A low-cost training version which does not contain any explosives. It is used to teach operators the drills and procedures required for optimum handling, transportation, fuze programming and preparation. This enables warstock mines to be used in combat with the maximum operational effectiveness.
- Assessment mine. To all intents and purposes a naval SIGINTSIGINTSignals intelligence is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people , whether involving electronic signals not directly used in communication , or combinations of the two...
device, used to gather ship target signature data to update target characteristics and assist with programming. The assessment mine is used on the sea bed and does not contain any explosives. A shore station, which also contains simulation and analysis software, controls the mines via a data link cable.
- Exercise mine. Used on naval exercises. It incorporates the same electronic sensors and software as a warstock mine, but does not contain any explosives. The electronic circuitry records the acoustic, magnetic and pressure influences of a target and provides users with an indication that the mine (if it was warstock) would have detonated. An acoustic telemetry link controls the unit after deployment and commands the recovery process.
Two sizes of Stonefish explosive warhead are available for warstock mines i.e. 100 kg and 300 kg. However, the destructive power of a Stonefish mine can be adjusted by coupling multiple warheads together in different combinations. In this way, a Stonefish mine can have a warhead which weighs 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 or 600 kg. The ability to change the warhead size allows Stonefish to be deployed against small targets in shallow coastal waters or against large targets in deep ocean. Depending on the warhead configuration, a Stonefish mine can have a total weight of up to 990 kilograms. The physical measurements of a Stonefish mine are such that it can easily be loaded into the torpedo tubes of submarines, then deployed using a small charge of compressed air to expel it. Alternatively, if an optional air-drop kit is fitted it can also be deployed by maritime patrol aircraft such as the P-3 Orion
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
(connected to the aircraft via suspension lugs and an arming lanyard) its descent to the ocean surface slowed by a parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
retard pack.
The computerised exploder in a Stonefish mine is microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
-based. It features acoustic, magnetic and water pressure
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...
displacement target detection sensors.
The DSP
Digital signal processing
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of discrete time signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing...
circuitry includes such features as the ability to set thresholds regarding the signal strength and adjust sterilisation delay times. A portable electronic presetting kit can be used to reprogram the mine (e.g. uploading a new library of acoustic target signatures or increasing the arming delay from one hour to 10 days) before the mine is deployed.
The operating depth of Stonefish ranges between 30 and 200 metres. Its shelf life is 20 years, and it has an operational lifetime of 700 days after being deployed on the seabed. Stonefish incorporates arming delays, ship counting and self-sterilisation features which can be configured by the user.