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US Minesweeps Participate in Exercise Clear Horizon

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS091125-06
Release Date: 11/25/2009 10:07:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Doolin

CHINHAE, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- The mine counter-measures ships USS Defender (MCM 2), USS Guardian (MCM 5), USS Patriot (MCM 7) and Helicopter Minecountermeasures Squadron 14 (HM-14) are participating in exercise Clear Horizon, an annual, bilateral, mine counter-measures exercise conducted
with the Republic of Korea.

"We're all going to be executing Mine Warfare exercises, mine clearance and mine hunting operations" in the vicinity of the South Korean Peninsula, said Lt. Cmdr. Patrick O'Mahoney, Defender's commanding officer.

During the exercise, U.S. minesweeps will work with Korean minesweeps to practice clearing routes for shipping as well as conducting training surveys for clearing operational areas.

"An operational area survey, is mainly for when we work with amphibious readiness groups, or other task units, smaller ships, that don't have a mine hunting or minesweeping capability. We'll go out there and clear an area so that they will know it is safe to operate in that area without fear of mines," said Lt. Cmdr. Andria Slough, Defender's executive officer.

The exercise will also utilize HM-14 helicopters to hunt and clear mines from the air as well as Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) divers to aid in neutralizing the mines once identified.

"It's really an exercise that encompasses the air, the surface, and the EOD or UMC, underwater mine counter-measures portion, so it brings all three aspects of the triad together in one exercise, and it's kind of unusual we get everybody together," said Slough.

"Clear Horizon seems like an awesome opportunity to flex our power and collaborate with our two [nation's] minesweepers, and do something worthwhile," said Defender Sailor, Engineman 3rd Class Johnny Roman. "On this deployment, we're actually getting out there and doing stuff, and it makes me feel like a little bit of my blood, sweat and tears put into all of our training was worthwhile."

All U.S. minecountermeasures units participating in exercise Clear Horizon report to Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, commander, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, who is based out of Okinawa, Japan.

For more news from Commander, Amphibious Force, U.S. 7th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/ctf76/.