The Royal Australian Navy successfully completed a first-of-class firing for its new sea mine capability in September 2024. While few details about the test have been released, beyond that it occurred, information about the broader capability is slowly coming to light.
“Navy conducted a successful first-of-class firing of the new sea mine in September 2024,” a briefing document obtained under Freedom of Information laws states.
In August 2023, RWM Italia, a division of Rheinmetall, was awarded a contract to deliver smart sea mines to Navy through Project Sea 2000 - Maritime Mining. The total value of the contract, as well as the type and number of sea mines being acquired has not been disclosed by Defence.
The first batch of sea mines were delivered to Navy by February 2024, when the Chief of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise, Air Vice Marshal Leon Phillips, addressed the 2024 ADM Congress.
“The first batch of modern sea mines have been received and have been used in maritime training by our Navy,” AVM Phillips said at the time.
“The sea mines will be maintained in Australia and some elements may be manufactured here, potentially including the explosive fill.”
In April 2024, Navy announced that it had laid mines for the first time in nearly 50 years during Exercise Dugong off the New South Wales South Coast.
“The mine warfare and clearance diving activity, from 4-22 March, was designed to test a combined force from Australia, New Zealand and the US against a realistic mine threat,” Defence said in a statement about the Exercise.
While Defence did not disclose what platform deployed the mines during Exercise Dugong, Defence’s press release noted that the mines being acquired through Project Sea 2000 will use surface, sub-surface and aerial delivery platforms.
Work on the sub-surface element of the mine delivery capability is evidently well underway. In its annual report for 2024, ASC disclosed that as part of its work with Navy’s Submarine Training and Systems Centre (STSC) at HMAS Stirling, the Commonwealth company provided training expertise to Project Sea 2000.
Defence had not responded to ADM’s questions about Project Sea 2000 before deadline, though it did acknowledge receipt of them.