Minecountermeasure Forces – The British Minecountermeasure force comprises the eight (8) Portsmouth based HUNT Class plus the seven (7) Faslane based SANDOWN Class  The older HUNT Class are undergoing what is in effect a half life refit with the first of these, the CHIDDINGFOLD, is now completed after spending  eight (8) months in dry dock at Portsmouth Naval Base.   The CHIDDINGFOLD has been fitted with new CATERPILLAR C32 diesel engines (replacing the old NAPIER DELTICs), with the work was carried out by BAE Systems.   As well as the new main engines various upgrades to the machinery monitoring systems and computer systems onboard were carried out together  with all the usual refit items that you would expect.    The CHIDDINGFOLD will start sea trials later in the year.

Meanwhile the work of the “Bahrain Minecountermeasure Squadron”, drawn from the two UK based MCM Squadrons goes on and as has previously been reported the Royal Navy maintains four (4) Minecountermeasure vessels in the Gulf as part of the UK Mine Counter Measures Force. This Expeditionary Capability provides a permanent Maritime Security presence in the region allows the crews to progress a warm water Mine Countermeasure capability which was used to good effect during operations off Libya.   For logistical reasons Minecountermeasure vessels are based in the Gulf for up to three years while their crews are rotated on a six – eight month basis, ensuring the lessons learnt are shared across the mine warfare cadre.

As part of the routine of maintaining the presence in the “Gulf” the ships are rotated on a three year cycle with the ATHERSTONE (Hunt) and SHOREHAM (Sandown) most recently despatched to relieve the MIDDLETON (Hunt) and PEMBROKE (Sandown).    Homeward bound the MIDDLETON and PEMBROKE, whilst passing through the Gulf of Aden, attended a distress call from the Container Ship NEW DELHI EXPRESS which had suffered engine failure 12 miles to the south west and that the drifting ship was an easy target for the pirates who operate in the Gulf between Somalia and Yemen.    The MIDDLETON and PEMBROKE stood by the container ship for several hours, protecting the vessel until she the machinery had been fixed and the NEW DELHI EXPRESS was able to continue north.

This often forgotten but important branch of the  Royal Navy  also maintains a vessel as part of a NATO commitment in the  Mediterranean, currently the BLYTH (Sandown).   So the likely deployment of these vessels breaks down to sa :

Deployment/Status	HUNT	SANDOWN
Operational
Bahrain	2	2
Mediterranean	-	2
Faslane	-	2
Portsmouth	4	-
Non Operational
In Transit/Maintenance	1	1
Mid life Refitting	1	-