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Patriot Arrives in Malaysia for Multinational Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060606-04
6/6/2006

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Adam R. Cole, Task Force 76 Public Affairs

KUANTAN NAVAL BASE, Malaysia (NNS) -- The Sasebo, Japan,-based mine countermeasures ship USS Patriot (MCM 7) arrived here for the multinational Western Pacific Mine Countermeasures Exercise (WESTPAC-MCMEX) June 3.

WESTPAC-MCMEX, to be conducted June 6-17, will involve navies from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, India, and the United States, as represented by Patriot and embarked Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, Detachment (Det) 51. Officers from Canada, China, Brunei and Vietnam will observe the exercise.

“Because we have worked with mine countermeasures ships of some of the nations involved, we share a bond and a closeness that transcends nationality,” said Lt. Cmdr. Richard Brawley, Patriot's commanding officer. “I think it will give a very good overall assessment for how other navies perform mine countermeasures operations.”

The exercise will be broken down in three phases: a harbor phase, weapons proficiency phase, and tactical at-sea phase. The harbor phase will feature a series of lectures and briefs that will give details on how each navy conducts mine countermeasures operations. The tactical phase will be executed in a competition format, as the various navies will be given scores on their proficiency in mine countermeasures operations.

The tactical phase will closely simulate real-world mine countermeasures operations. Participating ships will conduct a number of sweeps and deploy search devices to locate practice mines in order for EOD personnel to prosecute them. EOD teams will use real demolition charges on the mine shapes.

“I am looking forward to working with the minesweepers of the different nations involved,” said Mineman 2nd Class Simon Walters. “I think it will be both fun and challenging. I’ve never done something of this size before, so it is exciting. Should be good to see how each navy sweeps mines.”

Embarked EOD personnel on Patriot felt the same way, noting that the exercise would be a good opportunity to apply the techniques and tools of training.

“We have never dived with the Malaysian navy, so we’re looking forward to that and also the opportunity to work once again with some of the dive units of nations we’ve worked with previously,” said Quartermaster 1st Class (SW/EOD/DV) Donald R. Acker. “It’s always a good thing when we can use our training and do it in a new environment such as Malaysia.”

Patriot and EODMU 5’s familiarity with other nations’ mine countermeasures ships and EOD teams comes from bilateral training conducted throughout the year. Those exercises included Mine Countermeasures Exercise (MCMEX) with Japan; Reception, Staging, Onward-movement and Integration (RSOI)/Foal Eagle with ROK, and Cobra Gold 2006 with Thailand. EODMU 5 did not participate in RSOI/Foal Eagle this year but was involved in the other two exercises and was embarked on one of the Japanese vessels now participating in Malaysia for MINEX/EODEX.

Patriot arrived in Malaysia after a brief port visit in Singapore, May 29-June 2, where the ship received maintenance and upkeep and the EOD Det conducted two days of diving with Singapore divers.

Patriot is on a long-term deployment throughout Southeast Asia. It left Sasebo April 17 and has made a port visit to Brunei, participated in Cobra Gold, and in addition to the Singapore stop, it is now participating in WESTPAC-MCMEX.

With experience from the previous exercises and the professionalism exhibited by the crew thus far in the deployment, Brawley is confident that Patriot Sailors will rise to the occasion.

“I have full confidence...that [the crew] will well represent not only this ship but also the United States,” said Brawley.

USS Patriot is a Mine Countermeasures ship forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan. Patriot and USS Guardian (MCM 5) serve under Task Force 76, which serves as the U.S. 7th Fleet’s Mine Countermeasures arm in forward-deployed operations. The ship and embarked EODMU 5 Det 51 are currently deployed in Southeast Asia to support the U.S. 7th Fleet’s interoperability and training commitments in mine neutralization warfare and maritime operations.