A magnetic influence system for underwater systems has a low-inductance source coil for generating an impulsive magnetic dipole field in the vicinity of the underwater system. A high-voltage power source provides a transient voltage pulse to the source coil, resulting in a rapid current pulse rise time in the source coil. The impulse source coil is mounted on a non-conductive hull section of the underwater system. A plurality of impulse sensor coils are also distributed on the system hull at the null points of the magnetic dipole field and detect the returning scattered signal generated by the impulse source coil.