More than 700 Navy personnel from the US, the UK, Australia and France took part in the largest minehunting exercise in the Gulf.
The two-week exercise, Artemis Trident 21 that concluded on April 29, aimed to test the four nations’ ability to keep sea lanes secure and open in the Arabian Gulf.
It was conducted by France’s Marine Nationale, the UK’s Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy and the US Navy.
Seven mine warfare vessels, one command ship, a couple of fast patrol boats, three helicopters and three specialist dive teams were showcased as part of the mine countermeasures (MCM).
“The ability to effectively counter mines is critical to maintain the free flow of commerce and ensure freedom of navigation,” said UK Maritime Component Commander in Bahrain Commodore Ed Ahlgren.
“Exercise Artemis Trident 21 has truly demonstrated the ability of our multinational MCM Task Force to work collaboratively, using our combined assets and skills.”
Bahrain is home to the US Fifth Fleet and the UK Naval Support Facility and the 34- member nations Combined Maritime Forces.
During the biennial exercise, participants cleared a path through naval mines in response to a fictitious incident, while also defending themselves against threats in the air and on the sea.
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines.
The Royal Navy’s contribution to the exercise included three minehunters – HMS Brocklesby, HMS Penzance and HMS Shoreham – while support vessel RFA Cardigan Bay acted as flagship throughout.
“Opportunities like this to exercise with our international partners are invaluable, it helps to reinforce our collective commitment to securing freedom of navigation on the high seas,” said HMS Shoreham Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander David Bryde.
Commander James Lovell, in charge of the UK’s Gulf-based mine forces, said exercising with Gulf and regional coalition partners helps in “maintaining our military fitness so that we are ready to work together when the time comes.”
In addition to the traditional methods of mine warfare, Artemis Trident 21 tested the use of new techniques and technologies.
The Expeditionary Diving Unit 3, based in Portsmouth, deployed an 11-strong Expeditionary MCM team to Bahrain to take in the exercise.
Autonomous underwater vehicles and clearance divers were also used to find and dispose of mines.
There have been maritime incidents in the past where limpet mine and water-borne improvised explosive devices were used by nefarious groups targeting vessels.
The UAE, Norway and Saudi Arabia in a joint statement at a United Nations briefing, had said that limpet mines, used to target four oil tankers off the port of Fujairah, were allegedly placed by divers deployed by speed boats.
A sea mine was placed on the hull of a Liberian-flagged tanker in the Arabian Gulf off Iraq in December last year.
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