Six Nations' Navies Gather in the South Sea for Mine Warfare Training

Command at Multinational Mine Warfare Center in Busan
Conducting Combined Manned and Unmanned Mine Countermeasure Training

The Navy will conduct a multinational mine warfare exercise involving six countries, including South Korea and the United States, from the 19th to the 27th in the southeastern waters off Geoje, Gyeongnam Province. The exercise aims to enhance multinational joint mine warfare capabilities and familiarize United Nations Command member countries with the mine warfare environment within the Korean Peninsula theater.

On October 18, ahead of the multinational mine warfare exercise, Lieutenant Minyoung Kim (Jin), the operations officer of the ROK Navy mine countermeasure vessel Ganggyeong, is explaining the unmanned mine disposal vehicle (MDV) used in the training to multinational naval personnel. (Photo by the Navy)

According to the Navy, the exercise will include naval forces from South Korea, the United States, Belgium, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines, with observers from nine countries including Australia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Republic of Korea Navy will deploy eight vessels, including the mine-laying ships Nampo and Wonsan, and the mine countermeasure ship Gang-gyeong, along with two aircraft and two Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams. The U.S. Navy has dispatched three vessels, including the Pioneer, and three aircraft. EOD and Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) operation teams from Belgium, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines will also participate. Participating navies will conduct combined manned and unmanned mine countermeasure exercises, mine detection and landing/takeoff drills with mine countermeasure helicopters, and mine-laying exercises under the command of the Multinational Mine Warfare Center located in Busan. The Republic of Korea Navy plans to verify the mine detection capabilities of commercial Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and ocean survey vessels during this exercise.

Prior to the exercise, the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK), held a mine warfare symposium from the 16th to the 18th at the Navy Hill Baekdusan Hall in Busan. The event, attended by over 100 participants from 19 countries including South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, discussed mine countermeasure operations utilizing combined manned and unmanned maritime combat systems, the Navy stated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.