The CNO should ensure increased attention to the regular measurement and maintenance of the designed acoustic, magnetic, and underwater electric potential signatures of all ships. Continually updated data, charts, and decision aids showing optimum operating conditions to protect against influence mines should also be available on all naval ships.

The CNO should ensure that MCM ships and helicopters that may have to operate in areas where they are threatened by attack from sea- or shore-based forces are provided with appropriate self-protection.

The CNO should ensure that the fleet commanders-in-chief and theater naval component commanders extend countermine warfare contingency planning to include transit and operating areas, homeland defense, and critical base defense.

The Secretary of the Navy should take the lead in urging the Defense and State Departments to initiate international discussions among U.S. allies and other nonhostile nations to institute a mine technology control regime, analogous to the Missile Technology Control Regime instituted in 1987, to help slow the spread of increasingly sophisticated and threatening sea mines.