Minehunters pick up the Gauntlet in the Gulf

THERE’S four Britons, two Pakistanis and two Americans.

What a fine example of international naval co-operation.

In the middle of the Gulf, Allied mine warfare forces join up for Arabian Gauntlet 11  – a Royal-Navy led test of the ability of divergent ships to work together to deal with a potential mine menace in the heat of the Gulf (where it’s now in the mid-30s Celsius – over 90°F).

Your cast for Arabian Gauntlet were mother ship RFA Lyme Bay, two Sandowns (HM Ships Grimsby and Pembroke), one Hunt (Chiddingfold), one US Avenger-class minehunter (USS Gladiator), one very large USS minehunting helicopter (a Sea Dragon from the ‘Blackhawks’ – HM-15) and two Pakistani (PNS Munsif and Muhafiz).

The UK Maritime Battle Staff used Lyme Bay – officially a landing support ship, but she’s being employed in the Gulf as a support vessel for Britain’s four Bahrain-based minehunters (Middleton, No.4 in the quartet wasn’t partaking in this exercise) – as their base to choreograph a number of training serials and tests.

Following a joint departure from Bahrain, Pembroke led the minehunters in some co-ordinated gunnery.

After there was some core business (ie minehunting) with a sustained hunt in challenging temperatures and a less-than-benign sea state.

The weather did not stop Pembroke launching her Seafox robot submersible to track down several exercise mines, while her clearance divers also took to the murky waters of the Gulf to do the same.

“Exercising with so many different countries has really given us the chance to further our skills and gain a useful insight into working with minehunters from other countries,” said Lt Cdr Angus Essenhigh, Pembroke’s CO.

Arabian Gauntlet drew to a close with the big guns joining in – Arleigh Burke destroyer USS Higgins and Pakistan’s brand-new frigate, PNS Saif.

Air and surface targets were successfully engaged by the swelled force, demonstrating its ability to respond swiftly and effectively to a variety of threats.