Naval Warship Degaussing Cables
HTS REBCO cable loops wrapped around warship hulls generate opposing magnetic fields to cancel magnetic signatures, protecting ships from magnetic sea mines and torpedoes.
The Naval Magnetic Signature Challenge
Every steel warship acquires a powerful permanent and induced magnetic signature as it travels through Earth's geomagnetic field. German magnetic sea mines in WWII detected this anomaly from 30 feet below and detonated automatically.
Conventional degaussing uses heavy copper cables (over 1,200 feet per ship) carrying hundreds of amperes to create an opposing electromagnetic field. However, copper cables add tens of tons of weight, consume megawatts of auxiliary power, and generate excessive heat.
Degaussing Cable Magnetic Cancellation Schematic
Strategic & Operational Advantages
Tactical Mine Survivability
Precise real-time control over degaussing currents neutralizes magnetic anomalies across all compass headings, protecting surface combatants and submarines from bottom-laid magnetic fuse sea mines.
Massive Topside Weight Reduction
Replacing thick copper busbars with thin 2G REBCO HTS tape conductors reduces degaussing system mass by 80%, lowering the ship's center of gravity and increasing fuel efficiency and payload capacity.
Cryogenic Efficiency
Utilizing liquid nitrogen closed-loop cooling at 77 K eliminates high I²R resistive heating inside ship bulkheads, improving thermal stealth and reducing air conditioning demand.