In the conflict, Iran has repeatedly threatened to drop naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Some sources say that Tehran may have deployed explosive devices in this strait.
The above information opens up the possibility that the US must deploy a complex and risky operation to reopen the route using new minesweeping technology.
Mines are a serious threat to oil tankers and commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and also particularly dangerous to warships.
Since World War 2, naval mines have caused disproportionate damage to the US Navy: Sinking or paralyzing 15 ships, more than the total damage caused by all other weapons combined. Among them, 3 US warships have been hit by naval mines in the Persian Gulf since 1988, injuring dozens of sailors.
Despite the level of danger, naval mine operations - including deployment and clearing - receive very little attention and budget from the US Navy, due to the concentration of weapon systems being more noticed, according to maritime security expert Scott C. Truver.
He said that the funding for naval mine operations accounts for "less than 1% of the total naval budget". Many people even call this "a stepchild of the US Navy".
While Iranian naval mines have become a threat in the Persian Gulf, the US Navy is gradually decommissioning Avenger-class minesweepers that have been used since the 1980s. Replacing the Avenger is the Independence-class coastal warship (LCS), based on unmanned systems and helicopters to detect and destroy naval mines.
According to Bryan Clark - senior expert at the Hudson Institute, a research organization focused on national security and defense policy, the US is investing in unmanned systems to carry out this task. LCS ships only need to stand outside the minefield, while unmanned systems and helicopters will take on the task of detecting and neutralizing naval mines.
However, the LCS program faces many problems such as delays, cost overruns and technical errors, and is nicknamed by critics as "low-quality small warships".
A 2022 report by the US Office of Government Accountability (GAO) also pointed out many significant challenges, including the ship's ability to defend itself in attack and the high rate of damage to essential equipment.
US media pointed out that the question is whether this replacement force is really ready. A few weeks ago, two Independence-class LCS ships, USS Santa Barbara and USS Tulsa, were in Singapore. Another ship, USS Canberra - equipped with anti-mine systems - is also in Asia.
Senior expert at the Institute for Foreign Policy Research Emma Salisbury said that the US Navy is "falling into a difficult position". She noted that many European countries have better capabilities than the US in minesweeping missions. For example, Poland has more than 20 minesweepers, while the UK, France and Turkey also own a significant number.
In addition, the new naval mine hunting and destruction system, with LCS ships as the center, has not yet been tested. The anti-mine warfare package (MCM), integrating unmanned aerial vehicles on water and underwater, MH-60S helicopters and sonar systems, designed to detect, identify and neutralize naval mines, has not yet been tested in real combat conditions.
