you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 12 points 8 months ago (6 children)

Sensationalist headline.

The US claims that Iran is considering laying mines...

Non-paywalled:

http://archive.today/m8Bme

  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 8 months ago (4 children)

    And even then, can't the US military detect them and blow them up? Or have cheap drones patrolling ahead of ships to trigger them?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 8 points 8 months ago (2 children)

    I'm not sure the insurance companies will pay out when someone loses a quarter billion dollar freighter plus cargo and associated personnel in a warzone when they come back with "but we put a cheap drone out front just to check for mines" lol

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 4 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    I dunno if a "cheap drone" can produce the same magnetic response that a fucking cargo ship can, but it seems extremely unlikely.

    And what, you have 2 in the water ahead of you? Is that enough for it to be clear for a cargo ship? They function perfectly all the time and catch every single mine?
    What happens when 1 finds a mine? How many extras do you carry? What happens when you run out, "just turn around"?

    Drones could probably clear a shipping channel, but at some point and actual ship is going to have to go through it.
    And the suez canal was blocked for ages due to 1 ship, even after having been operated for decades. That, except the ship sinks.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment