Anti-mine units from the U.S. Navy, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces and the Indian navy began mine countermeasure exercises near Ominato, Japan, this week.

The U.S. and its allies conduct the exercise, known as 2JA, on an annual basis to increase interoperability between forces and capabilities in mine countermeasure operations.

"This exercise allows us to flex our mine countermeasure muscles and improve interoperability with our JMSDF and Indian Navy teammates," commander of Amphibious Force 7th Fleet Rear Adm. Brad Cooper said.

"The mine countermeasure mission is hugely important to both military and civilian shipping from all nations in the Indo-Pacific region and keeping waterways clear of mine threats is fundamental to national security and the free flow of trade," Cooper said.

The allies will practice unit-level mine countermeasures including using sonar equipment to detect mines. Explosive ordnance-disposal practices will include dive operations.

The exercise will conclude with U.S. and Japanese forces doing a simulated clearing of a mine-infested strait.

U.S. Navy units participating include the USS Chief, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, the Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 and members of Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7.

Japanese units include Mine Warfare Force Commander, Mine Division 2, minesweeper tender JS Uraga, two mine-sweep ocean ships, fifteen minesweeper coastal ships, Helicopter Mine Warfare Squadron 111, four P-3C patrol aircraft and one P-1 patrol aircraft.

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

At historic summit, Trump refuses to confront Putin on vote row
Helsinki (AFP) July 16, 2018
To outrage in Washington, President Donald Trump on Monday lent weight to Russian denials of meddling in US elections at his inaugural summit with Vladimir Putin, where the pair championed a fresh start in relations between the world's leading nuclear powers. The US and Russian presidents came out of their meeting in Helsinki expressing a desire to talk again on global challenges, after discussing an array of issues from Syria, Ukraine and China to trade tariffs and the size of their nuclear arsena ... read more