Australian Navy Lays Sea Mines for the First Time in 50 Years

The Royal Australian Navy has laid sea mines for the first time in nearly 50 years during Exercise Dugong, a mine warfare and clearance diving activity held from March 4-22.

The exercise was designed to test a combined force from Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. against a realistic mine threat. Prior to the exercise, inert mines were laid in the approaches to Eden, one of the largest fishing ports in New South Wales.

After a week of integration and training, the tactical phase began with mine countermeasure and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operations aimed at clearing or neutralizing the threat. Teams from the Maritime Deployable Robotic and Autonomous Systems Experimentation Unit, Maritime Geospatial Warfare Unit HMNZS Matataua, and members of U.S. Navy Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7 on board ADV Guidance launched autonomous underwater vehicles to identify mines using sonar and video technology.

Minehunter coastal HMA Ships Diamantina and Gascoyne also conducted clearance activities with their organic sonar, mine disposal vehicles, and dive teams. Australian Clearance Diving Teams One and Four, along with partner forces including Matataua and EOD Mobile Unit 5, conducted mine clearance and improvised explosive device operations from ashore.

Commanding Officer of Clearance Diving Team One, Lieutenant Commander Mike Hutchesson, said, “It’s an opportunity to examine our interchangeability, mixing together EOD techs, divers, and autonomous underwater vehicle operators to address the mine countermeasure challenge.”

To enhance realism during training, live sensor readings from the mines were transmitted to operators ashore, enabling them to monitor whether divers had neutralized or detonated the mines.

This exercise marked the largest contingent ever deployed on ADV Guidance, with more than 80 personnel supporting the operations, including headquarters staff from the Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Task Group.

The new mining capability is part of the SEA2000 program, providing rapidly deployable and technologically sophisticated smart sea mines launched from submarines, ships, and aircraft.

During a capability demonstration day following the exercise, VIPs were given a tour of ADV Guidance.

Exercise Director Captain Scott Craig remarked that Exercise Dugong tested the integration of both existing and emerging capabilities as the Navy transitions to new equipment.