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Memory Alpha
File:Battle of DS9 3.jpg

The USS Defiant deploys a minefield

Minefield destroyed

The minefield is destroyed

A minefield is a large number of mines deployed in space. Several races were fond of using them.

The Romulan Star Empire was known to deploy minefields in the 22nd century to protect the sovereignty of their borders. The Earth Starfleet starship Enterprise strayed into a cloaked Romulan minefield in April 2152. One mine breached its hull while another attached itself to the ship. (ENT: "Minefield")

During the Federation-Cardassian War, several minefields were deployed. (TNG: "Ethics")

After the Klingon Empire withdrew from the Khitomer Accords and the Second Federation-Klingon War began, the Klingons attempted to mine the Bajoran system, thus preventing the Dominion from leaving the system if they invaded. This would leave the Empire able to focus on conquering the entire Cardassian Union and the rest of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. A cloaked mine detonated and was detected by a runabout from Deep Space Nine. Later, another mine detonated and a Vor'cha class ship, the IKS Drovana, was badly damaged. This led to the failure of the Klingon's plan as Worf and Kurn boarded the ship and obtained the detonation codes. The USS Defiant detonated the minefield and the other Klingon ships retreated back to the Empire. (DS9: "Sons of Mogh")

As war with the Dominion seemed increasingly likely in late 2373, the Federation mined the entrance to the Bajoran wormhole, to stop more Dominion reinforcements coming through. The mines were self-replicating and were equipped with cloaking devices. Even after the Dominion seized control of Deep Space Nine, the minefield stood firm. The field stood for at least three months before it was destroyed by a Antigraviton beam.

References

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