1. An innocent looking tugboat & barge in the Gulf

2. However, when you remove the tarps…

3. and look under the cut-away drums, you find…
Floating
Contact Mines

4. ready to deploy.
Note wheels and rails

5. Meanwhile, back inside the container…

6. a trap door, leading to the inside of the barge…

7. and more contact mines ready to deploy...

8. along with bottom-moored influence mines.

9. Which proves the old adage
that any ship can be a mine layer,

10. And any ship can be a mine hunter – once.
USS Tripoli damaged by
floating contact mine
during Desert Storm

11. Mining – not just a threat to the Navy!
4th Infantry Division
enroute to the Gulf