![]() ![]() It is possible for some of these 1940s-era mines to remain dangerous for many years to come. Parts of some World War II naval minefields still exist because they are too extensive and expensive to clear. The cost of producing and laying a mine is usually anywhere from 0.5% to 10% of the cost of removing it, and it can take up to 200 times as long to clear a minefield as to lay it. Their flexibility and cost-effectiveness make mines attractive to the less powerful belligerent in asymmetric warfare. They can be inexpensive: some variants can cost as little as US$1000, though more sophisticated mines can cost millions of dollars, be equipped with several kinds of sensors, and deliver a warhead by rocket or torpedo. Mines can be laid in many ways: by purpose-built minelayers, refitted ships, submarines, or aircraft-and even by dropping them into a harbour by hand. ![]()
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