Royal Navy: Portsmouth minehunters join forces with the US Navy and Air Force in gruelling 12-day operation

Portsmouth-based HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Middleton joined forces with the US Navy and Air Force for trials in the gulf. RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Bangor were also involved in the exercise called Neptune’s Kilt – carrying out large scale mine countermeasures.

It was a combined British and American operation involving the US Navy and US Air Force. The US Air Force’s 75th Air Expeditionary Fighter Squadron contributed four A-10 Thunderbolt planes for the exercises.

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They are known for their manoeuvrability at low altitudes, accurate weapons delivery systems and a lethal payload of different weapons – which makes the jets capable of providing air-to-surface support across the waters. The Warthogs were joined by two mighty MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters, the American minehunter USS Dextrous and destroyer USS Paul Hamilton.

The 12-day exercise involved ‘hostile forces’ peppering key sea routes with mines, which the allied forces were expected to clear. The minehunters were stalked by ‘enemy’ vessels to keep them on their toes.

Commander Richard Hurman, Commander UK Mine Countermeasures Force, was in charge of Neptune’s Kilt. He said: ‘The operation was a great success and proved the UK and US can operate within a combined Task Group to deliver cohesive mine warfare operations, while reassuring our regional partners.’

Captain Derek McKnight, the Royal Navy officer who is in deputy command of the US Fifth Fleet’s 5th Fleet’s mine counter-measures force in the Gulf: Task Force 52, added: ‘This exercise has enabled us to increase our proficiency in mine countermeasures and enhance the integration of our tactics from the air and sea.

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‘As a combined task force, it is an honour and a pleasure to work closely together.’ British participants hosted six guests from the US Naval Academy (the equivalent of the Royal Navy’s Britannia Royal Naval College) – with the US Navy trainee officers living and working alongside British sailors.

This allowed them to learn their routines which made be different from their own. Officer Cadet Sam Clyburn, who worked alongside the American trainees said, ‘I really enjoyed working with the US midshipmen. They had a good attitude and seemed to really enjoy their time with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary.’