9th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron

9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron
Active	1962-1971, 2013-present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Squadron
Role	Mine Countermeasures Squadron
Size	5 ships as of 2017
Home port	HMS Jufair, Bahrain

The 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron is a front-line squadron of the Royal Navy with responsibility for mine warfare in the Persian Gulf region. The squadron is based in Bahrain and is equipped with four mine countermeasure vessels and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship.

In its original guise, the 9th Mine Sweeping Squadron (MSS) was formed of four Ton-class sweepers – HM Ships Appleton, Kemerton, Flockton and Chilcompton which were specially fitted for the rigours of operating in the Persian Gulf. The ships had their pennant numbers painted in Arabic on the stern & carried a funnel badge featuring a dhow on a yellow background.

The squadron was based in Aden and later Bahrain. When Bahrain and Qatar became independent nations and Trucial States formed into the United Arab Emirates the squadron was disbanded.

The squadron was reformed in 2013 as the 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron, the change in title reflecting the advances in mine countermeasures techniques in the intervening forty years. The squadron comprises two Hunt Class Mine Countermeasure Vessels and two Sandown Class Single Role Minehunters on three yearly rotation, supported by an Royal Fleet Auxiliary Bay Class landing ship. As in its original guise, the squadron operates out of Bahrain and carries the same funnel badge.

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