Busan:South Korea and the United States have concluded a multinational maritime mine warfare exercise off Korea's southeastern port city of Busan, which included participation from 15 partner nations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ninth Multi-National Mine Warfare Exercise 2026 ended on Friday. The exercise was attended by mine countermeasures vessels, explosive ordnance disposal personnel, clearance divers, and autonomous underwater vehicles, as stated in a press release from the U.S. Navy.
The exercise aimed to strengthen mine warfare capabilities and interoperability among the participating navies through combined maritime operations. It involved mine-hunting operations, harbor clearance and port-entry scenarios, mine detection and neutralization, and seabed surveys using unmanned underwater systems.
The U.S. Navy deployed the USS Chief, an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, alongside expeditionary mine countermeasures companies and diving detachments. The South Korean Navy contributed with mine laying and hunting vessels, supported by specialized clearance divers and underwater disposal teams.
Personnel from partner nations, including Japan, Canada, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, also participated, highlighting efforts to enhance multinational cooperation in maritime mine countermeasures. Capt. Lee Geun-rok, commodore of South Korea's 52nd Mine Warfare Squadron, emphasized that the exercise provided an opportunity to "substantially enhance interoperability and combined operational execution capability in the field of mine warfare."
Capt. G. Scott Wells, commander of the U.S. Navy's Task Force 77, expressed pride in participating in another successful multi-national interoperability event with allies and partners, further increasing mine countermeasure capacity and strengthening overall capabilities.