The Hammerhead (also named Hammerhead Encapsulated Effector, or HHEE) is an anti-submarine naval mine currently being developed by the US Navy. Development began in 2018 to modernize the Navy's use of offensive mines, and orders were placed by 2026.
Development Development of the Hammerhead began in 2018 when the US Navy revised and modernized its offensive mining doctrine. The weapon is similar to the Cold War-era Mark 60 CAPTOR; once deployed from the unmanned Orca submarine, it would sit upright on the seabed and autonomously detect enemy submarines before launching a Mark 46 torpedo which has a range of . Aside from the torpedo, the Hammerhead includes a module to moor it to the seafloor and another to provide electrical power. In theory, the mass deployment of the mine in chokepoints could contain Russian or Chinese submarines while preventing them from approaching American vessels. If used with other types of mines that are deployed using autonomous drones, the resulting minefields could be used to impede a theoretical invasion of Taiwan or prevent enemy submarines from crossing the first island chain. The weapon could also be used in a defensive role to intercept underwater weapons around coastal installations, such as Russia's Poseidon torpedo.
The Navy planned on operating prototype Hammerheads in the early 2020s, and ordered 188 production models from General Dynamics in 2026 in addition to an unspecified amount already on order. The weapon would primarily be built at the company's factory in Taunton, Massachusetts.
See also Seabed warfare Liberator (mine), a similar weapon also being developed by the US Navy
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