The Challenge:
Address the strategic, operational, and tactical employment of 21st-century U.S. Navy mine warfare systems and technologies -- offensive and defensive mining, mine countermeasures, mine exploitation, and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD).
Examine the disruptive advantages and challenges of delivering and employing large-scale and affordable mine warfare capability and capacity to U.S. and allied fleets and expeditionary forces.
Challenge Areas:
- The promise, difficulties, and concept of operations of large-scale employment of stand-off and close-in mining technologies from purpose-built or adapted host platforms.
- The employment of artificial intelligence–enabled autonomous and unmanned platforms.
- The requirements, capabilities, technologies, and processes to restore fleet freedom of maneuver through in-stride minehunting, real-time target identification, and mine neutralization.
Submission Guidelines
- Open to all contributors -- active-duty military, reservists, veterans, and civilians.
- Essays must be no more than 2,500 words, excluding end notes and sources. Include word count on title page of the essay.
- Essays are judged in the blind. Do not include author name(s) on title page or within the essay.
- Submit essay as a Word document at www.usni.org/nmwessay no later than 31 March 2024.
- Essay must be original and not previously published (online or in print) or being considered for publication elsewhere.
First Prize: $1,500
Second Prize: $750
Third Prize: $500
Selection Process
A joint panel composed of experts from the Mine Warfare Association and the Proceedings editorial staff shall judge essays and choose winners. All essays will be judged in the blind — i.e., the Proceedings staff members and Mine Warfare Association judges will not know the authors of the essays. Since we receive so many submissions (more than 100 per month!), notification of acceptance on one of our platforms can take 4-6 months. We will notify you via email if your essay is selected for a prize or for publication.
Announcement of the Winners
Winners will be published in Proceedings, in print or online.
