Mine Countermeasures Exercise Sweeps Persian Gulf

11.15.2007

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet           

By MCC Craig Strawser, Wasp Public Affairs

USS WASP, At Sea – The U.S. Navy conducted a mine countermeasures exercise (MCMEX) to demonstrate its ability to counter potential mine-laying and to maintain open sea lanes and anchorages in the region, an important mission of Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

The MCMEX, conducted Nov. 12-15, brought together Mine Countermeasures Division (MCMDIV) 31, the "Blackhawks" of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15, USS Wasp (LHD 1) and USS Gladiator (MCM 11).

Commodore Scott Davies, commander of MCMDIV 31, stressed the importance of teamwork in carrying out the MCM evolution.

"The MCM triad consists of air units, surface units and underwater units, all working together with an afloat command element," said Davies. "By forging these three branches of the MCM process into one cohesive team, COMCMDIV 31 is able to meet the U.S. 5th Fleet objectives of maintaining open sea lanes throughout the region."

During the exercise, HM-15's MH-53E helicopters towed MK-105 Magnetic Influence Minesweeping Systems, better known as "sleds," which are high-speed catamaran hydrofoil platforms. From the sleds, an electrically-charged cable streams and creates an electromagnetic field, which tricks mines into thinking it is a ship.

As part of the exercise, Wasp demonstrated its ability to launch and recover the sleds from its well deck. Once the sleds were launched, rigid hulled inflatable boats towed them away from the ship where they were then connected to a hovering MH-53E and towed in a notional mine threat area.

"The ability to run continuous flight deck operations, while simultaneously launching additional MCM assets in the well deck, allows us the flexibility to put the right minesweeping equipment where it's needed," said Cmdr. Frank Dowd, commanding officer of HM-15.

USS Gladiator, the surface element of the triad, provided real-time clearance information to the command staff aboard Wasp Davies said. "This exercise was the first to emphasize tactical sweeping, vice hunting as its primary mine countermeasure tactic," he said.

Davies said MCM ships such as Gladiator conduct mechanical and influence sweeps of Sea Lanes of Commerce (SLOC), or the "highways" used by commercial shipping traffic to move material around the world.

"These various elements are all very important to this exercise," Davies added. "Without the support they all provide each other, the MCM triad would be very limited in both its capability and capacity."

This is the sixth MCMEX in the Persian Gulf since 2007 in support MSO. It also supports the U.S. Naval Forces' new "Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower" rolled out in October by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Garry Roughead.

At the heart of this new Maritime Strategy regional security and global economic interests are best served by forward deployed maritime forces capable of deterring, localizing and mitigating disruptions in the global system. This global system of trade, finance, law, information and immigration works to the benefit of partner nations, and is uniquely sustained and protected by maritime forces.

• Date Taken: 11.15.2007
• Date Posted: 11.15.2007 10:20
• Story ID: 13927