Royal Navy divers from Portsmouth join huge exercise hunting out mines in the Gulf

EXPLOSIVES experts from the Royal Navy have been sharpening their minehunting skills as part of this year’s biggest naval exercise in the Middle East.

Scores of sailors from Portsmouth are among the 5,000 men and women taking part in the fortnight-long International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 19 workout.

Spread across a vast area spanning the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and the Gulf, the series of war games features about 30 ships and more than 50 nations.

And as it got under way, The News was given a behind-the-scenes look at the teams responsible for keeping the world’s busiest shipping lane mine-free.

Royal Navy ship HMS Defender and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Cardigan Bay anchor a formation of coalition mine countermeasures and maritime security vessels at sea, operating in support of the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX). IMCMEX includes navies from more than 30 countries spanning six continents training together across the Middle East. The exercise is focused on maritime security from mine countermeasures, maritime infrastructure protection and maritime security operations in support of civilian shipping (photo courtesy of Royal Navy/Released)

Among them include Royal Navy divers from the UK’s Fleet Diving Unit 3 (FDU3) who are normally based at Horsea Island near Portsmouth but who have a permanent three-strong team supporting operations in the Gulf.

The specialist squad is currently based British support ship RFA Cardigan Bay, which is acting as the floating headquarters for an international team of divers from 10 countries who are taking part in the exercise.

Leading them all is Royal Navy officer Commander Simon Cox, commander of the UK mine countermeasures force in the Middle East.

The 40-year-old, who will soon take up a new post in Portsmouth, said there had been very few historic mines found in recent years.

British Royal Navy clearance divers assigned to Task Group 522.3 conduct a search for mines during the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX). With a quarter of the world's navies participating. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Rolston)

However, he stressed the importance of having a deterrent force of ‘world-leading’ experts like those from the Royal Navy, was vital to keeping the sea lanes clear of explosives.

Cdr Cox said: ‘Mine warfare has been around for centuries and it remains the single biggest attribution of loss of ships at sea.

‘As a threat it is still massively potent. So the best way we can deter that activity is by preventing mines ever going in the water.

‘We can do that by having the most credible and world-leading capability. That is what the UK offers - one of the most potent expeditionary mine warfare task groups anywhere in the world.

‘We have proven that repeatedly over the last decade and it’s a real honour to be out here commanding that at the moment.’

Two of the four British minehunters based in the Middle East – HMS Brocklesby and Ledbury, both from Portsmouth – are involved in the exercise, plus a battle staff on RFA Cardigan Bay.

The latter normally acts as a mother ship to the Royal Navy’s minehunters, providing them with fuel, food and ammo to sustain operations for extended periods.