Published on October 22, 2017
The CAPTOR is the United States Navy’s primary anti-submarine naval mine. This deep-water mine is laid by ship, aircraft or submarine, and is anchored to the ocean floor. When its sonar detects a hostile submarine, the CAPTOR launches a Mark 46 torpedo.
The name CAPTOR is short for enCAPsulated TORpedo. The CAPTOR was the U.S. Navy’s standard anti-submarine mine during the Cold War, having enough computer power to detect the difference in acoustic signature between ships and submarines. When an enemy submarine passes close by, the passive sonar detects it and releases the torpedo, which tracks the sound until it contacts the submarine hull and explodes.
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