A threat long forgotten: Sea mines
The developments caused by the deployment of sea mines along Ukraine's Black Sea coast have captured the attention of almost the entire world. Before the war, there was little prospect of the long-defunct sea mines re-emerging as a threat, and so it was assumed that mine hunting at sea was a thing of the past. But shortly after the start of the war, this illusion ended.
The land mine is the most brutal weapon in history. Because it kills without warning. Moreover, it continues to take lives even after the war is over. When a military unit encounters an enemy troop, the battle is over within a certain period of time. However, a landmine is not a threat that starts and ends in such a short time. Once laid, the threat continues until someone steps on it and detonates it, or until it is cleared by specialized teams.
Worst of all, mines harm not only soldiers but also civilians. In fact, civilians are more vulnerable to mines than soldiers. This is because military units have the necessary tools and equipment to clear a road through a minefield with detection devices such as mine detectors. They are more careful against mines because they are trained in this area. Civilians, on the other hand, have none of these.
Indeed, the fact that mines are a deadly threat to civilians has been clearly demonstrated by the casualties in the conflict zones that have emerged since the 1990s. Hundreds of thousands of people, men and women, children and adults, soldiers and civilians, have been killed or maimed by landmines. This situation attracted the attention of international organizations and remedies were sought.
As a result, the Ottawa Convention (Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction) was drafted in 1999 and opened for signature by countries. Turkey signed this convention in 2003 and complied with its requirements. In this context, landmines in the internal security zone and on the borders have started to be cleared according to a plan.
Since Russia did not sign this agreement, it used landmines everywhere when the Ukraine War broke out. They even placed old generation metal-coated mines on asphalt roads. This did not cause a major reaction or uproar in the world, as it harmed the armies of Russia and Ukraine, which were direct parties to the war.
However, the developments caused by the placement of sea mines on Ukraine's Black Sea coast have captured the attention of almost the entire world. Prior to the war, it was not thought likely that sea mines, which had not been used for a long time, would re-emerge as a threat, and therefore mine hunting at sea was considered a thing of the past. But shortly after the start of the war, this illusion was shattered.
The seriousness of the situation became clear when some of the sea mines laid by Russia and/or Ukraine in the northern Black Sea broke loose from their moorings and drifted away. On September 8, 2022, a Romanian Navy minesweeper hit a mine northeast of the port of Constanta. At that time, less than a year into the war, nine mines had been detected in the territorial waters of the Black Sea littoral states.
Drifting sea mines are still being seen off the coast of Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Romania and Ukraine. This situation has led to the renewal and increase in the number of mine-sweeping vessels. As a result, a significant portion of the defense budgets of some Black Sea littoral states have been earmarked for the purchase of new minesweepers.
The developments that led to the reemergence of sea mines as a threat have been observed not only in the Black Sea but also in many other countries. For example, mines are planned to be used in the Taiwan Strait as part of China/Taiwan strategies. For this reason, both countries have initiated a series of minesweeper research and development projects. Some countries have opted to outsource mines and minesweepers instead of producing them themselves. This has led to an increase in the amount of money allocated for this purpose in defense budgets.
The most important developments in this area are observed in European countries, which feel the threat closely. Europe has prepared a joint defense program against the mine threat. European countries have also embarked on a major effort to build individual and joint minesweepers. They are also working to develop crewless systems for minesweeping.
Similar developments have spread to the Americas. Some American companies have signed contracts with the US Department of Defense for the development of advanced minesweepers. In Canada, work has begun on Remote Mine Hunting and Destruction Systems.
This trend is likely to continue until another solution to the mine threat is found. This is because sea mines are expected to play an increasingly important role in future naval wars. Since it is very difficult to neutralize them with conventional minesweepers, many countries outside Europe and the United States are working on the development of crewless systems.
These developments are of great importance for Turkey. Because Turkey is one of the countries that will be most affected by the threat of mines in any war. For example, mines laid at the entrances and exits of the straits could completely stop maritime traffic. Mines laid between the islands in the Aegean Sea could create a similar danger.
