The Mine Warfare Task Force (TF 177) has one of the most critical and hazardous missions of a maritime exercise: finding and neutralising hidden underwater mine threats that could endanger ships and crews.
Operating from a fully integrated multinational headquarters during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), TF 177 brings together leaders and specialists from Australia, Germany, Denmark, the United States, Singapore and New Zealand, each contributing unique expertise.
During RIMPAC, they are undertaking the important role of clearing vital sea lanes, harbour entrances and beaches to ensure the 30 participating nations' ships have the freedom to manoeuvre and operate safely.
Royal Australian Navy clearance diver Lieutenant Bonner serves as the future operations officer in the task force.
His role is to ensure that the complexity, coordination and calculated risk of the operations are considered in the planning phase before the conduct of the integrated activities with the allied forces.
"At the start of the exercise, capability briefs from each country provided valuable insight into the unique strengths and limitations of allied mine countermeasure forces, helping build a shared understanding of how we can best operate together," Lieutenant Bonner said.
"While differences in tactics, procedures and communications present challenges, the force integration training has forged a unified team capable of responding to one of the most dangerous threats in the maritime environment."
Before the combined fleet could begin the sea phase, TF 177 undertook the critical task of locating and neutralising hidden underwater mines in the exercise area.
Some of the most complex tasks during the exercise include dealing with drifting mines.
"During the intensive force integration phase, personnel use remotely operated and uncrewed underwater vehicles to search for submerged, buoyant or drifting mines," Lieutenant Bonner said.
'Even after these areas are declared clear, the task force remains on constant standby, ready to respond immediately if new mine threats emerge or a vessel encounters a suspected minefield.'
"From there we conduct a 'pouncer operation' by inserting specialist divers by helicopter to intercept and dispose of the drifting mines, and also carry out live underwater demolition serials, placing explosive charges on simulated mines before detonating them from a safe distance."
These high-risk missions require meticulous planning to ensure the safety of the aircrew, divers and explosive ordnance teams.
The exercise also includes complex raise, tow and beach operations to recover mines from the seabed for intelligence exploitation.
Divers first disable the mine with a specialised overpressure charge before attaching lift bags to bring it to the surface. The mine is then towed ashore by boat and hauled onto the beach using either a truck or manual pulley systems, where explosive ordnance disposal technicians can safely examine it.
These operations require close coordination between divers, boats, shore crews and recovery teams, highlighting the precision and teamwork needed to safely defeat underwater mine threats.
Safety is the highest priority, and it extends across all domains, including environmental protection during RIMPAC, with strict procedures in place to safeguard marine life.
Lieutenant Bonner said before any live demolition takes place, observation periods and environmental checks are conducted to ensure marine mammals are clear of the area.
The important role of the task force continues throughout the exercise.
"Even after these areas are declared clear, the task force remains on constant standby, ready to respond immediately if new mine threats emerge or a vessel encounters a suspected minefield," Lieutenant Bonner said.
