US, Allied Forces Launch EOD Exercise HYDRACRAB

In a first-of-its-kind event, expeditionary forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States arrived in Guam August 14 to conduct Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training in exercise HYDRACRAB.

HYDRACRAB brings together more than 100 Sailors from four Indo-Pacific nations to sharpen skills and strengthen practical cooperation for EOD-related skillsets. The exercise takes place on Guam and around the Marianas Island Range Complex.

‘We are very excited to host our foreign partners and friends for the inaugural exercise HYDRACRAB 2019,” said Cmdr. Andrew Cook, EOD Mobile Unit 5 commanding officer. “This exercise serves as a unique opportunity to share tactics, techniques and procedures with integrated maritime and air assets that will help increase our collective warfighting effectiveness.”

During the exercise, forces will combine to practice a wide range of expeditionary competencies to include visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS), land and sea insertion techniques, joint demolition operations, small arms proficiency, counter improvised explosive device (CIED) operations, and anti-terrorism force protection (ATFP) diving operations.

“Cooperation between our nations’ premier explosive ordnance disposal forces is paramount to ensuring our readiness to face future conflicts by strengthening partnerships,” said Cook.

Representing Australia are Royal Australian Navy personnel from Clearance Diving Team One and Four. Representing Canada are Royal Canadian Navy personnel from Fleet Diving Unit – Pacific. Representing Republic of New Zealand are Navy personnel from HMNZS Matataua Maritime Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

Representing U.S. forces are personnel from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, Coastal Riverine Squadron 2, assigned to Coastal Riverine Group 1 Detachment Guam, III Marine Expeditionary Force, 36th Civil Engineering Squadron, and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25.

U.S. 7th Fleet provides security alongside allies and partners throughout a free and open Indo- Pacific. As the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet, 7th Fleet operates roughly 50-70 ships and submarines and 140 aircraft with approximately 20,000 Sailors.