Mk 36

Mk 36 was an air-laid bottom mine with a flat slanted nose for optimum underwater trajectory. Mods 0 and 1 were magnetic (induction) mines,- Mod 2 was LF acoustic, and Mod 3 was pressure/magnetic. Magnetic version weights: 940 lb (including 570 lb TNT) or 1008 lb (including 638 lb TPX). Mod 2: 1024 lb (including 570 lb TNT) or 1082 lb (including 638 lb TPX). This mine was exported postwar to allied navies. This mine is no longer in U.S. service (Mods 1 and 3 were withdrawn in 1974, and Mod 2 in 1970).

Inert, Drill Mine – The Hunting Mine Mk 36 is a recoverable, inert-loaded shape that is also planted by surface craft solely to help mine countermeasures personnel develop their mine hunting skills and techniques. In many ways, it is simply a smaller version of the Mine Mk 25.

The mine weighs approximately 1,000 pounds with its tail cover. The flight gear (shown below) is omitted when the mine is surface planted and is only shown to illustrate how a fully assembled Mine Mk 36 appeared when it was once dropped from aircraft. The mine does not contain explosives or target detecting/actuating mechanisms and, therefore, is ballasted internally with concrete to maintain its necessary negative buoyancy and bottom stability. The mine’s case is painted either white with orange stripes or orange with white stripes.