Talk:Minesweeper

message: Can we start a section about the other purposes that minesweepers have been used for or are equipped for.  For example, most/all? minesweepers carry some armament- a main gun and some machine guns-
IceDragon64 (talk) 00:52, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Other Purposes etc. 

message: Can we say anything useful about their sizes? Do they vary much? I believe they do.
IceDragon64 (talk) 00:52, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Sizes? 

message: How many are in various navies?
IceDragon64 (talk) 00:52, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Numbers? 

message: Speaking as someone unfamiliar with military armament, I wanted to draw the of the attention of the editors to a non-expert reading of this article. The Operations and Equipment section is difficult to understand and would benefit from additional information and clarification of the information provided. Below is a proposed rewrite. Please considering formatting and using this text:
Operation and requirements
Conventional minesweepers are designed to tow a submersible glider, called a sweep, alongside or behind its hull to perform the process of mine detection or detonation. Modern mine-sweeping techniques use remote controlled sweeps that precede the vessel. To reduce the chances of  detonation from unintentional contact, the hull of the ship is often constructed using wood, glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) or non-ferrous metal. Additional precautions taken include degaussing to reduce the magnetic signature and soundproofing to reduce the acoustic signature of the ship (http://snet.elth.pub.ro/snet2004/Cd/camp/camp_P2.pdf). 
Minesweepers are equipped with either mechanical or emulation sweeps used to perform the function of mine detection or detonation. The type of sweep used is determine by the type of mine deployed. A mechanical sweep is a device designed to cut the anchoring cables of a moored contact mine, and attach a beaconing tag use to signal location and aid in subsequent neutralization. Mechanical sweeps, such as an oropesa (link) or paravane (link) sweep, maintain a desired depth and position relative to the ship depending on the type of mine and body of water. An emulation sweep, also called an influence sweep, is a device designed to replicate the conditions of a ship in transit across the effective path-range of an influence mine. The mine logic of influence ordnance detect and actuate on the mechanical and electromagnetic energies produced by a ship or submarine (http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_30/underwater2.html). 
Emulation sweeps operate in two distinct modes. When an emulation sweep replicates a ship's signature it is considered to be sweeping in target emulation mode (TEM), also called target setting mode (TSM). This mode emulates the acoustic and seismic signatures, hydrodynamic (pressure) signals, static magnetic and electric fields, or electromagnetic (alternating electric and magnetic) fields generated by a ship or submarine's hull, machinery, or electrical equipment (http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_30/underwater2.html). Emulation sweeps also have the ability to manipulate the signature produced for optimal performance against a particular mine sensitivity and logic setting (http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1998-03/minesweeping-mine-hunting-success). The capability to optimize performance in this capacity is called operating in mine setting mode (MSM). However, since modern microprocessor-controlled mines "apply a number of logics and sensitivity settings simultaneously to the various magnetic-field vector components" (http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1998-03/minesweeping-mine-hunting-success), MSM would be used only when the specific mine settings are known, for example, against older mine types or if the minefield was a protective deployment laid by allied vessels (http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1998-03/minesweeping-mine-hunting-success). The essential difference between the target (TEM/TSM) and mine setting (MSM) modes is that target mode is "designed to clear those mines that would be a threat to the emulated vessel class, regardless of mine sensitivity, settings, or logic", while mine setting is "designed to have improved performance against mines for which logic and sensitivities are known" (http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1998-03/minesweeping-mine-hunting-success). 
The minesweeper differs from a minehunter; the minehunter actively detects and neutralises individual mines. Minesweepers are in many cases complementary to minehunters, depending on the operation and the environment; a minesweeper is, in particular, better suited to clearing open-water areas with large numbers of mines. Both kinds of ships are collectively called mine countermeasure vessels (MCMV), a term also applied to a vessel that combines both roles. The first such ship was HMS Wilton, also the first warship to be constructed from glass-reinforced plastic.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ringoflamingo (talk • contribs) 19:08, 13 January 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Clarity 

message: I see that modern minesweepers have a number of ways to avoid setting off a mine during a sweeping operation, but how did minesweepers during WWII, for example, not get sunk while moving through a minefield? I don't see what countermeasures would work against a contact mine. Did they just hope for the best, tie pillows to the bow, or what?
*Septegram*Talk*Contributions* 17:54, 20 November 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Survival? 

message: Hi, I think I'll edit this article to make it less Eurocentric, less contradictory with the Huolongjing article and more factually accurate by noting that the Chinese had naval mines by at least the 14th century. Just a heads up! Jamutaq (talk) 14:32, 29 May 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  Chinese had Naval Mines long before Crimean War…