One month ago she was redeployed to the Gulf but this time without the normal human load of fighting men or ordnance.

On previous tours the Saipan has sailed with a full complement of marine corps, Apache attack helicopters, Harrier fighter jets and fully armed. On a wartime footing the ship also has a fully operational hospital that can accommodate almost 400 patients including 17 ICU beds and four operating theatres. But today the hospital remains a dormant facility while the decks are free from the fixed wing fighters and attack helos.

And although the USS Saipan has a crew of 1000 men and women the main helicopters on the flight deck are the massive MH-53E Sikorsky Sea Dragons. The current role of the Saipan is to provide advanced mine sweeping capabilities at sea.

In addition to the more traditional surface search and destroy methods (and the more dangerous solo underwater work), the ship brings airborne mine counter measures to the Gulf. Simplistically, a ‘sled’ (more accurately called the MK-105 Magnetic Influence Minesweeping system) is released into the sea through a flooded well deck more used to floating amphibious troop vehicles. Once in open water, the sled is hooked up to a Sea Dragon with a cable that includes a refuelling hose and a sweep control electrical cable.

Towed through the water by the helicopter, the sled uses an electro-magnetic field to detect a mine’s magnetic signature and remotely cause the mine to detonate once identified. Up to four sleds might be used to clear a safe corridor through a marine minefield for shipping. A much safer method for all concerned than surface detection which could well put the minesweeping ship itself in danger.

However, there is one curious element in this whole scenario: there are no known mines in the Gulf region. And it begs the question, why is the USS Saipan trawling the waters of the Gulf?

‘Our reason for being is to show the forces, both friend and foe, that we have the capability in theatre for deterrents,’ says Squadron Commanded Robert Bennett. ‘We’re here for mining counter measures, maritime security and making sure that the Straits of Hormuz are kept open.’

Commander Scott Davies and Captain Jeff Harbeson elaborate on these points further.

‘Traditionally there has been mining in this area. We want to have the counter measure in theatre so that we will be able to deal quickly with any mining that might come up.’

‘It’s only prudent that we have this defence capability for our forces. We have sleds back in the US to provide training and the sleds themselves can be deployed anywhere in the world at short notice. These will be stationed here permanently so that we can train and operate them to a point of proficiency.’

Minesweeping counter measures have been in the States for some time with the main port based in Japan. And now the entire triad of counter measures has arrived in the Gulf. But it still doesn’t answer the question!

‘It’s a readiness process,’ says Captain Harbeson. ‘To maintain readiness, to have MCM capability and you need to train for proficiency. We do that in all areas. Air threat, submarine threat. We’re always doing these things for training proficiency.’

In effect the USS Saipan is practising for a potential threat rather than dealing with an actual one but does have other duties when necessity dictates.

‘We do have exercises where we get permission to put fake mines in there for practice reasons,’ says Air Commander Jason Uhrina from Ohio. ‘It gives our aircrewmen time to see what they look like so when the time comes to it they’re not going in blind. We practise on dummy mines all the time so that everyone knows what they look like in the water. The squadron’s based in Corpus Christie, Texas and back home it’s just training. Here you get to do a lot of stuff like landing on the ship, doing cargo runs and other things.’

‘This is my second tour out here and the last time I was out here we helped Indonesia after the tsunami. Then back home we were assisting post Katrina and after that we were in Pakistan. Any of the big things that happened in the last year, the squadron has been there. Although we’re away from our families for six months, it’s a real honour to be out here.’