The scene, painted by the highly regarded British artist Ross Watton, captures the combined effort of the mine countermeasures assets based in the Gulf, namely the UK Hunt and Sandown class vessels, the US Avenger class ships as well as the Afloat Forward Support Base RFA Lyme Bay and the US Navy’s MH-52 Sea Dragon helicopters.
Now in its 6th year of continuous presence in the Gulf, the UK MCM Force has established itself alongside the US Navy as a world leader in warm-water expeditionary mine countermeasures operations.
Increasingly inter-operable, the British and American crews train together regularly, building on the close relationship the two navies have always enjoyed, and developing new tactics to exploit the ever-improving technology their ships are packed with, while learning from each other’s best practices.
Handing over the painting, Lieutenant Commander Paul Ottewell , Commanding Officer of HMS Ramsey, spoke of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Gulf region and the four British crew’s pride in working alongside their US counterparts.
Both navies operate at the very leading edge of MCM technology and together they are a force for good in enhancing regional stability.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, July 25, 2012; Image: Royal Navy