As U.S. works to open port city, mines remain a concern

ABOARD THE USS PONCE-Ocean spray washes over this Navy amphibious transport ship in the northern Persian Gulf as a Marine Corps helicopter hovers overhead and drops a hydrofoil sled it has spent the past few hours pulling across the water. Quickly, two rubber boats roar over to pick up the hydrofoil and haul it back onto the ship. Thus ends another day in the seemingly endless process of counter-mine warfare. "Counter-mining can be tedious work," says Navy Capt. Michael O'Moore, commodore of the allied countermine warfare effort headquartered aboard this amphibious transport. But, O'Moore says, ensuring that key waterways into Iraq are free of mines is key to allowing ships carrying humanitarian aid to dock in the recently captured Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr.

Even before the city was secured, countermine operations were under way to guarantee a clear channel from the Persian Gulf into the city, because it is Iraq's only deepwater port.

President Bush Tuesday again acknowledged the need to get food, water and other humanitarian supplies into Iraq as soon as possible. Basrah, a scene of intense fighting among ground forces, has been with out water or power for more than two days.

Rear Adm. Barry Costello, commander of the of the USS Constellation's battle group, who also oversees all countermine activity in the Persian Gulf, says the possibility of a ship being struck by a mine is one of his top concerns. In the past week, Costello says, more than 100 mines have been discovered on Iraqi boats or barges abandoned in and around channels leading to Umm Qasr.

Costello says an undisclosed number of mines also were discovered in a warehouse in Umm Qasr. But there's no evidence that any mines have been deployed, he says.

Costello says Iraqis are not believed to manufacture their own mines. Most are imported from Italy or Russia.

During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Iraq is believed to have deployed more than a thousand mines in the region. Two Navy surface combatant ships were severely damaged by mines.

There are two main types of mines. "Influence mines" use radar and acoustic sensors to detonate as ships pass near them, creating a vacuum in the water that can cause a vessel's hull to break in two. "Contact mines" explode on contact with a ship. Some mines are free-floating, while others are moored to riverbeds and shallow ocean floors.

O'Moore says allied forces are trying to defend ships from mines on three fronts: air, surface and underwater. From the air, O'Moore has six MH-53E helicopters that drag hydrofoil sleds with acoustic and magnetic sensors over waterways to deactivate influence mines. They also use blades on the sled to detonate contact mines by tripping wires. Influence mines however, sometimes are rigged not to detonate on the target, meaning numerous passes are required before some mines are neutralized.

On the water, O'Moore has six British and four U.S ships that sweep waterways using the same sensors employed by the hydrofoil, as well as sonar systems. Once suspect mines are identified, the ship can detonate charges to blow them up.

Under water, unmanned vehicles, dive teams and even dolphins-trained for seven years to find underwater bombs-can be used to zero in on suspected mines. But underwater operations are the most time-consuming.