Official U.S. Navy website - Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) 13, is the largest exercise of its kind in the region and will exercise a wide spectrum of defensive operations designed to protect international commerce and trade; mine countermeasures, maritime security operations (MSO) and maritime infrastructure protection (MIP).

IMCMEX is a multilateral defense exercise in multiple operating areas in the Arabian Gulf and builds upon last year's mine countermeasure focus by including:

• Maritime Security Operations (MSO)
• Maritime Infrastructure Protection (MIP) events
• And an oil spill response discussion with industry representatives

"Our planners have included events that address more of the security picture than just mines on the high seas."

IMCMEX 13, hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) /U.S. 5th Fleet, will be conducted in three phases:

• A three-day symposium on MIP
• An afloat operations phase in the international waters and airspace of multiple operating areas
• And a phase where participants discuss best practices and lessons learned for future exercises.

Events scheduled during the exercise include Avenger, Hunt and Sandown class vessels, and other mine countermeasure ships and mine hunting operations; Sea Dragon airborne mine countermeasure operations; and USS Ponce, RFA Cardigan Bay afloat MCM support bases, international Explosive Ordnance Disposal mine hunting and diving operations, small boat exercises, UAV operations, UUV operations and port clearance operations focused toward underwater improvised explosive devices.