UK, US ships conduct minehunting exercise

Four British ships together with several US ones participated in a four-day minehunting exercise as a warm-up for the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise, the UK Royal Navy announced on 31 March.

Minehunters HMS Middleton (Hunt class) and HMS Bangor (Sandown class) and their mother/support ship RFA Cardigan Bay as well as frigate HMS St Albans were tested along with US minehunter USS Gladiator, while the auxiliary tug USNS Catawba planted practice mines in the Gulf for the minehunters to find, neutralise or recover.

The exercise tested the forces’ ability to work together, conduct boardings and searches of suspicious vessels, eliminate targets with their guns, fend off air attacks, clear the mock minefield and put divers in the water.

Cmdr Jools Howe, in charge of the mine warfare battle staff, UK Royal Navy, said: ‘This is a perfect example of how successfully a multi-national force can integrate and work together to hone its skills in difficult and changeable environmental conditions. Understanding the nuances of each area is key as we work maintain freedom of navigation and ensure safety in the region.’

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

Sandown Class

Hunt Class