The joint Belgian-Dutch replacement Mine Countermeasures (rMCM) programme continues to make progress towards demonstrating its full stand-off mine warfare capability before the end of 2026, with recent ship and system deliveries paving the way for a critical phase of operational integration. Speaking at the recent Navy Leaders Combined Naval Event (CNE) 2026, Commander Pierre Van ...
The post…
The U.S Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training and Evaluation Unit One (EODTEU1) will evaluate a new form of mine-clearing capability after identifying a series of new requirements in the Indo-Pacific—particularly for the service’s doctrine of distributed maritime operations, according to new documents published by EODTEU1. The mission change comes amid a series of challenges in ...
The…
The UK Royal Navy (RN) support ship RFA Lyme Bay is continuing preparations to support potential requirements to deploy to the Middle East, in the event of an international maritime security mission being established to ensure safe shipping and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In recent weeks, alongside in Gibraltar, the Bay-class ...
The post UK’s Lyme Bay Continues Preparations…
The two mine countermeasures vessels that Italy is forward-deploying in the Middle East area to participate to the international coalition to make the Strait of Hormuz free for navigation again, have left Augusta in Sicily on 15 May. According to plans made public in the previous weeks, the task group could also include one each ...
The post Italy is forward-deploying mine countermeasures assets…
Indian defence major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has entered in a strategic collaboration with France-based Exail to deliver an advanced unmanned mine warfare suite for the Indian Navy’s Mine Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs) program. In a press release, L&T stated: L&T and Exail will together provide the Indian Navy with a state-of-the-art Unmanned MCM Suit, ...
The post L&T partners with Exail to…
The UK’s outfitting of its Bay-class auxiliary vessel RFA Lyme Bay as a naval mine warfare (NMW) ‘mothership’ carrying uncrewed systems for the mine-hunting role illustrates how the Royal Navy’s (RN’s) ‘hybrid navy’ approach can provide flexibility to respond to events like the current Middle East crisis, the UK’s navy chief told a conference in ...
The post Lyme Bay MCM Uncrewed Systems Fit…
Exail and JFD Global have signed a Pre-bid agreement to explore a future collaboration that will include UK‑based maintenance, training and support services, to establish a long-term industrial partnership supporting the evolution and sustainment of modern mine countermeasure (MCM) capabilities in the UK. Exail press release As navies develop a hybrid future force, the partnership ...
The post…
USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) have become the first U.S. warships to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the U.S.-Iran War, marking the opening phase of mine clearance and blockade operations, with additional forces en route. Carter Jonhston story, additional reporting by Tayfun Ozberk and ...
The post U.S. Navy Stages for Mine Clearance as Hormuz…
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on 11 April that USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) had begun setting conditions for a mine clearance mission in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. CENTCOM press release U.S. CENTCOM forces began setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz on April ...
The post U.S. Forces Start Mine Clearance Mission in Strait of…
Thales has launched a new mission capability package designed to help navies in their respective transitions towards delivering ‘hybrid’, crewed/uncrewed, mine warfare operational outputs. While being a new package, Expeditionary PathMaster integrates existing Thales naval mine warfare (NMW) concepts and capabilities, including the company’s M-Cube mission management system and Mi-Map sonar…
The Italian Ministry of Defense’s Naval Armaments Directorate (NAVARM) has issued a preliminary market consultation notice for the procurement of one containerized naval mine laying system for in-service munitions (including those for training). The mine laying system is meant to be deployed on board all the Italian Navy’s newest vessels equipped for accommodating containerized systems ...
The…
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has just two of an original six Huon-class minehunters left in service. Plus, two years ago, the service suspended renewal of its mine countermeasures capability that was to be delivered via Project Sea 1905. Looking at this evidence, some analysts believe Australia’s naval mine countermeasures (MCM) capability is atrophying. However, ...
The post Australian mine…
The Strait of Hormuz has become the focal point of a dangerous escalation as reports of Iranian mine-laying operations emerge, prompting the United States to respond with precision strikes against Iranian naval assets, particularly minelayers. On March 10, U.S. CENTCOM announced the destruction of 16 Iranian minelayers and multiple warships. The Strait of Hormuz, the ...
The post U.S. Eliminates…
The Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme has reached a new milestone with the delivery in Zeebrugge of its first mine countermeasures (MCM) toolbox. Belgium Naval & Robotics press release This delivery of the toolbox, by Belgium Naval & Robotics, the consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail—with Exail responsible for its design and production—launches the system integration ...
The post First mine…
SAN DIEGO — Boeing highlighted the anti-ship and mining payloads of its upcoming Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR) aboard U.S. B-52H and B-1B strategic bombers. Derived from the company’s widespread guided-bomb kit, the JDAM LR will be able to strike targets or deliver minefields out to 300 nautical miles, effectively converting the ...
The post Boeing Shows off JDAM-LR…