Four U.S. minesweepers have arrived in the Gulf to bolster the U.S. Fifth Fleet and ensure the safety of shipping routes, the U.S. Navy said, as an Iranian military chief suggested on Monday that Iran might try to block the Strait of Hormuz to defend its interests.
The four additional mine countermeasures (MCM) ships arrived on Saturday and are scheduled for a seven-month deployment in an area of operations that includes the Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The area also includes two other critical shipping choke points of the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandab between the southern tip of Yemen and Africa.
"MCM ships conduct operations with coalition forces in order to ensure the continued, safe flow of maritime traffic in international waterways," the U.S. Navy said in a statement late on Sunday.
So how do you incorporate minesweepers into a wargame? Tactical? Strategic? An asset in a card-based game or a deliberate counter that must be deployed somewhere?
What success stories have you seen in wargaming a minesweeper operation? (And the stupid Windows game doesn't count)
By: Brant
Mine warfare can be exceptionally effective and cost effective, but the USN has never found it to be sexy.
ReplyDeleteHad a senior leiutenant who wanted to specialise in mine warfare, because he thought it so interesting. Getting the chance at command of these ultra small vessels comes early, which didn't hurt.
All the senior officers on the ship talked to him that this would be a terrible mistake and coudl ruin his career.
Kind of reminded me of how the Royal Navy treated an ASW specialist like Johnny Walker in the 30s.