Chinese AQS003A torpedo mines seen in the late 2025 Victory Day military parade. Torpedo mines are moored undersea weapons that house a lightweight homing torpedo. They are deployed to choke points or key corridors to deny access to hostile submarines. China's maritime geography and strategic objectives obviously lead to strong demand for torpedo mines, and naval mines more generally.
These mines are planted by attack submarines, surface vessels, long-range maritime patrol aircraft, or, increasingly, Extra Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles. Upon detecting a target's acoustic signature via passive sensor arrays, the system commands the internal torpedo to launch, allowing it to prosecute the threat. This method of engaging submarines with torpedoes does not put surface warships or friendly submarines at risk.