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CMS - Countermine System

Last updated: 14 Oct 2021

Description
The Countermine System (GBU-61) is an air delivered weapon with the same form, fit and mass of a BLU-109 2,000-pound bomb. The GBU-61 warhead will contain a payload of packaged darts that function as penetrating neutralizers, designed to pierce the mine casing to affect the kill. The countermine munition attacks surface laid and buried mines in the surf zone and beach zone through a controlled dispensing of countermine neutralizers. These neutralizers are designed to neutralize mines through consumption of the mine's explosive fill, detonation/deflagration of the mine, and/or defeating the mine's fuze mechanism. The GBU-61 will use existing JDAM Tail Kits (KMU-556/B). The GBU-61 weapons will be delivered primarily by United States Air Force bomber aircraft.
 
Background
The Navy and Marine Corps capability to traverse through the mined beach and surf zones depends on the development of an Assault Breaching System of Systems of integrated capabilities to include Countermine/Counter Obstacle (CMCO) breaching, navigation, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, targeting, and marking. The system will support the future naval warfare directives of power projection, Operational Maneuver from the Sea (OMFTS), Ship to Objective Maneuver (STOM) and Seabased Logistics. Emphasis will be placed upon the naval requirements to conduct rapid stand-off breaching/neutralization of all obstacles, and/or all mine types in the surf zone through the beach exit. The system will use information from current and future systems that locate mines and obstacle belts providing focus to the breaching effort. The GBU-61 will neutralize the mines in the beach and surf zone in advance of the assault. The Mine Countermeasures Commander (MCMC) plans the assault breaching mission using the JABS Mission Planner software in Mine Warfare Environmental Decision Aids Library (MEDAL). Assault breaching is a pre-planned fire support mission that is coordinated with the landing force maneuver ashore and other D-day fires. The breaching mission is executed by Commander Amphibious Task Force (CATF) through the Tactical Air Control Center (TACC) and Supporting Arms Coordination Center (SACC). GBU-61 Milestone B approval was granted in June 2007. The GBU-61 contract was awarded July 30, 2008 to Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and is currently under engineering and manufacturing development.
 
General Characteristics, CMS - Countermine System
Primary Function: Neutralize anti-landing and anti-tank mines in the beach and surf zones
Contractor: Boeing Company - St Charles, Missouri
Date Deployed: Program is currently in E&MD CDR planned for fiscal year 2015

Point of Contact
Naval Sea Systems Command
Office of Corporate Communication (SEA 00D)

Washington, D.C. 20376

(202) 781-4123

 

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