Mark 60 CAPTOR

The torpedo, once placed, can last anywhere from weeks to months underwater. The original production contract of the CAPTOR mine was awarded to Goodyear Aerospace in 1972, and entered service in 1979. It was hoped to reduce minefield costs and used in the creation of a barrier of the "Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom gap to interrupt Soviet submarines in the event that deterrence failed." The mine uses Reliable Acoustic Path (RAP) sound propagation to passively identify and track the difference between hostile submarine signatures, surface vessels and friendly submarines. Once identified, the torpedo leaves its casing to destroy its target. The concept of the weapon was revisited by the US Navy with the Hammerhead mine in the 21st century, which functions in the same way and is planned to be deployed by unmanned submarines.

• Name — Mark 60 CAPTOR • Type — Antisubmarine naval mine • Service — 1979-2001 • Wars — Cold War • Designer — Goodyear Aerospace • Length — Aircraft/ship-laid:3.68 m Submarine-laid:3.35 m • Diameter — 530 mm • Origin — United States • Is Ranged — yes • Is Explosive — yes • Is Missile — yes • Used By — United States Navy • Manufacturer — Goodyear Aerospace • Unit Cost — US $113,000 (FY78) US $113,000 or US $377,000 (FY86) • Production Date — 1978-1986 • Variants — Mine Mk 66, Mk 46 Mod 5 (NEARTIP) • Weight — Aircraft/ship-laid:1077 kg Submarine-laid:935 kg • Range — 8000 yd • Filling — Mark 46 torpedo • Filling Weight — 44 kg, PBXN-103 • Engine — Two-speed, reciprocating external combustion • Speed — >28 kn • Guidance — Active or passive/active acoustic homing, snake or circle search, reliable acoustic path (RAP) sound propagation • Propellant — Otto fuel II • Depth — 1000 ft • Launch Platform — Aircraft, surface ship and submarines