Editing Naval mine (section)

==== United Kingdom ====
In September 1939, the UK announced the placement of extensive defensive minefields in waters surrounding the Home Islands. Offensive aerial mining operations began in April 1940 when 38 mines were laid at each of these locations: the [[Elbe River]], the port of [[Lübeck]] and the German naval base at [[Kiel]]. In the next 20 months, mines delivered by aircraft sank or damaged 164 Axis ships with the loss of 94 aircraft. By comparison, direct aerial attacks on Axis shipping had sunk or damaged 105 vessels at a cost of 373 aircraft lost. The advantage of aerial mining became clear, and the UK prepared for it. A total of 48,000 aerial mines were laid by the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) in the [[European Theatre of World War II|European Theatre]] during World War II.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Development of Mine Warfare: A Most Murderous and Barbarous Conduct |last=Youngblood |first=Norman |year=2006 |publisher=Greenwood |isbn=0-275-98419-2 |pages=129–130 }}</ref>