STAND-OFF MINEFIELD MARKING FOR VERY SHALLOW WATER (VSW) SURF ZONE AND BEACH

EARLY IN THE LODGEMENT PHASE OF ANY AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT IS WHEN THE LANDING FORCE IS AT ITS MOST VULNERABLE. THE ASSAULT ELEMENTS MUST BEACH AND MARK CLEARED LANES IN MINEFIELDS FROM THE VERY SHALLOW WATER ZONE THROUGH THE SURF AND ACROSS THE BEACH TO ENABLE EARLY BUILDUP OF EFFECTIVE COMBAT POWER. NO SYSTEM CURRENTLY EXISTS TO FULFILL THE ROLE OF STAND-OFF CLEARED LANE MARKING. IN THIS PROPOSAL FOSTER-MILLER WILL INITIALLY ANALYZE THE SYSTEM TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO ARRIVE AT AN OPTIMUM MARKET DESIGN. AVAILABLE SUPPORT WEAPON SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE BEACH SYSTEM ITSELF, WILL BE SURVEYED AND ANALYZED WITH THE AIM OF SELECTING THE SYSTEM MOST SUITED TO THE ROLE OF MARKER DELIVERY VIA MODIFICATION OF AN EXISTING MUNITION. MARKER AND DELIVERY SYSTEM WILL BE CONCEPTUALLY INTEGRATED TO ARRIVE AT A DESIGN PROVING BOTH THE TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL FEASIBILITY OF SUCH A CLEARED LANE MARKING SYSTEM.