9th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron

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, as of mid-2025, is equipped with two mine countermeasure vessels. Normally, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) support ship has also been assigned to the squadron. However, in late 2024 the squadron's normal support ship, RFA Cardigan Bay, returned to the UK for refit and acute personnel shortages in the RFA made her replacement in the Gulf uncertain.^[4] In early 2025 the mine countermeasures vessel HMS Chiddingfold was also returned to the U.K.^[5] while the minehunter HMS Bangor was inactive due to damage sustained in a collision.

9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron
Active	1962–1971, 2013–present[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Squadron
Role	Mine Countermeasures Squadron
Size	5 ships as of 2017; 4 ships in 2023; 1 active vessel as of mid-2025[2][3]
Home port	HMS Jufair, Bahrain

History

1962–1971

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 and carried a funnel badge featuring a dhow on a yellow background.^[1]

The squadron was based in Aden and later Bahrain.^[6] When Bahrain and Qatar became independent nations and Trucial States formed into the United Arab Emirates, the squadron was disbanded.^[7]

2013–present

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 40 years. Up until the early 2020s, the squadron usually consisted of two Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessels and two Sandown-class single role minehunters on three year rotations, supported by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary Bay-class landing ship, normally RFA Cardigan Bay.^[1] As in its original guise, the squadron operates out of HMS Jufair in Bahrain and carries the same funnel badge.^[8] As of April 2025^[update], assigned units were:

• HMS Middleton
• HMS Bangor (undergoing refit in the Gulf due to damage suffered in 2024 collision)

  

  RFA Cardigan Bay

  

  British RNMB Harrier, autonomous MCM vessel deployed to 9 MCM Squadron for trials in early 2023

With the planned retirement of all the remaining Sandown-class vessels by 2025, and their replacement with both autonomous minehunting systems and supporting "motherships", at minimum a new configuration of the squadron was likely.^[9] In February 2023, the autonomous minehunting vessel RNMB Harrier arrived in Bahrain to begin trials of autonomous systems in hot weather. The autonomous vessel was to operate from RFA Cardigan Bay.^[10][11]

In April 2024 a gap in the capability of the squadron was created when Cardigan Bay deployed, initially to the Mediterranean to contribute to the British presence there in the context of the Gaza war, and then, in August, to the U.K. for refit.^[12] The squadron was further reduced as the result of the return of HMS Chiddingfold to the U.K.^[13] and damage sustained by HMS Bangor making her inactive.