Naval mine

A naval mine is an explosive device placed in or near water to damage or destroy ships. It detonates through contact or by sensing a vessel nearby.

Contact mine: A naval mine detonated when a ship physically touches its firing mechanism. Its horns or other contact sensors trigger the characteristic direct-contact detonation.
Naval mine warfare: The use of mines to attack, defend, or control maritime areas. It is the broader practice in which naval mines are deployed.
Mine warfare: Military operations that employ or counter mines on land or at sea. Naval mines are one branch of this wider form of warfare.
Naval mine clearance: The detection, removal, or destruction of mines from maritime areas. Mine clearance is necessary before routes and waters can be declared safe.
Naval torpedo: A self-propelled underwater weapon that seeks or follows a target before detonating. Unlike a mine, a torpedo travels toward its target after launch.
Influence mine: A naval mine triggered by a ship's magnetic, acoustic, pressure, or other detectable signature. It can detonate without a vessel touching the mine.
David Bushnell: An American inventor who developed early submarine and naval mine designs during the American Revolutionary War. His explosive devices helped establish the mine as a weapon against ships.
Naval blockade: The use of naval forces to prevent maritime traffic from entering or leaving a designated area. Minefields can reinforce a blockade by making sea routes hazardous.
Unexploded ordnance: Munitions that failed to detonate as intended and remain hazardous. Failed or abandoned mines can persist as unexploded hazards.
Depth charge: An explosive anti-submarine weapon detonated at a selected depth or after a timed delay. A depth charge is delivered against a target rather than left as a persistent hazard.

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