An automatic mine detection method has been designed for the purpose of locating mine-like objects on the seabed in real time using a high frequency, high resolution side scan sonar. The processing flow includes a calculation of the average scattering function of the local environment, shadow detection, and a fuzzy logic clustering/fuzzy logic detection procedure for identifying mine-like shadows. An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) equipped with a fuzzy detection system gives the Navy the capability of rapidly locating bottom mines in littoral underwater environments during over-the-horizon operations.