A hand emplaced underwater mine penetration system includes a launching ambly and a munition assembly. The launching assembly includes a firing device which receives a magnetic or acoustic signal from a standoff signal generator, and a launch tube having a forward open end, an opposite rear end connected to the firing device and a bore extending between the ends. The munition assembly is adapted for insertion within and firing from the bore of the launch tube of the launching assembly and includes a cartridge having explosive elements therein and a fuze disposed at a forward end of the cartridge and adapted to detonate and explode the explosive elements in the cartridge upon impact with an underwater mine.