Ship Photos of The Day – Navy Minesweepers Get a Lift

(Feb. 24, 2013) Mine countermeasure ships USS Pioneer (MCM 9) and USS Warrior (MCM 10) rest atop merchant vessel Super Servant III as it slowly rises to the surface during a heavy lift operation. U.S. Navy Photo.

Today’s ship photos actually come to us from back in February when the mine countermeasure ships USS Pioneer (MCM 9) and USS Warrior (MCM 10) were loaded onto Dockwise’s heavy lift ship, Super Servant III, after successfully completing eleven-month deployments to the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility.

USS Pioneer Returns to San Diego

The U.S. Navy said Thursday that the USS Pioneer arrived safely at Naval Base San Diego on May 5 aboard the Super Servant III.

While in the U.S. 5th Fleet, Pioneer conducted mine warfare operations and exercises, including the first International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) September 2012, and training mineshape recovery operations in the Gulf of Aden.

“They were tremendous ambassadors. In their execution of IMCMEX ’12, they not only integrated smoothly with partner nations at sea, but during the in-port phase, they hosted the entire international officer delegation to discuss U.S. mine warfare capabilities,” said Mucklow. “It was truly an outstanding deployment by an outstanding MCM crew.”

Pioneer will remain in San Diego to prepare to meet 3rd Fleet AOR mine warfare mission requirements.

The Warrior was delivered to her new homeport, Sasebo, Japan, as the replacement for the decommissioned USS Guardian (MCM 5).

The Pioneer and Warrior, along with the USS Sentry (MCM 3) and USS Devastator (MCM 6), were transported from San Diego to Bahra in June 2012 to support a U.S. Central Command request for additional MCM assets in the 5th Fleet. Sentry and Devastator remain deployed.