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US MCM Units Join ROK Navy, Regional Partners for Clear Horizon

Story Number: NNS161017-02Release Date: 10/17/2016 8:10:00 AM
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By Petty Officer 2nd Class Sarah Villegas, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet Public Affairs

WATERS SURROUNDING THE KOREAN PENINSULA (NNS) -- U.S. mine countermeasures units commenced training with Republic of Korea (ROK) navy and regional partner counterparts for the first multilateral iteration of the mine countermeasure (MCM) exercise Clear Horizon 2016, Oct. 16.

Clear Horizon is an annual multinational exercise designed to increase the capabilities and coordination between ships, aircraft, and undersea MCM forces between participating nations, which include the U.S., Republic of Korea, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

This is also the first year since the Korean War the Philippines and Thailand have participated in an exercise in the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

"As allies, we are committed to building on our collective expertise in this critical warfare area," said Capt. Jim Miller, commodore, Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7. "This exercise provides great training value, and we look forward to working with our ROK counterparts along with our regional partners over the next week."

During the exercise, U.S. Navy MCM units will work with Korean MCM units and partners to practice clearing routes for shipping, as well as conducting training surveys for clearing future operational areas.

Mine clearing helicopters are scheduled to practice hunting mines from the air. Helicopters also are scheduled to practice deck landing qualifications on participating ships.

Explosive ordnance personnel will conduct helicopter casting operations and very shallow water operations to simulate neutralizing mines.

U.S. Navy participation includes mine countermeasures ship USS Warrior (MCM 14), Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7, MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters from Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 (HM-14), and teams from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit 5.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AmphibForceC7F/ and twitter @Amphib7Flt.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cnfk/.

 
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US MCM units join ROK Navy, Regional Partners for Clear Horizon
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161015-N-SR567-175 BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Oct. 15, 2016) Naval representatives from the U.S., Republic of Korea and United Nations Sending States, gather at the Commander, Republic of Korea Fleet base for the opening ceremony of Clear Horizon. Exercise Clear Horizon, an annual multi-national exercise in waters around the Korean peninsula, is designed to increase the capabilities and coordination between ships, aircraft, and undersea mine countermeasure (MCM) forces between participating nations, which include the U.S. Republic of Korea, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.(U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Wesley J. Breedlove)
October 15, 2016
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