US mine-hunting warships vanish from Strait of Hormuz, reappear 5,630 km away as Iran lays mines

Two American warships - USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara - were stationed in the Persian Gulf for the larger part of February. But, sometime around the time the Iran war escalated, they vanished. They were operating from Naval Support Activity Bahrain as a core component of the US Fifth Fleet’s mine-countermeasures force. As the Iran crisis intensified, both vessels could no longer be tracked in the regional waters, Indian Defence Review reported. Both ships are equipped with specialised mine countermeasures (MCM) mission packages, which means they can find, identify, and destroy underwater mines. Both of them reached Bahrain within the last year to fill the gap left behind by the Avenger-class wooden-hulled minesweepers that were retired. Meanwhile, Iran is now laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz to prevent ships from passing by. Their absence has raised questions about American mine countermeasure capacity in the Middle East.

USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara seen in Malaysia

So where are the two warships at such a critical juncture? According to a picture taken by a spotter named Sherwynd Kessler, the combat ships are docked at the North Butterworth Container Terminal in Penang, Malaysia, more than 3,500 nautical miles away from their last known station. Two photos taken by a Defense Visual Information Distribution Service show the Tulsa in Manama, Bahrain, on February 9, and USS Santa Barbara in the Persian Gulf on January 30. But then The War Zone reported, citing satellite imagery, that there were no ships in the port at Bahrain. Both the vessels were likely moved to prevent any damage from Iranian missiles and drones.

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A strategic failure when Iran is laying mines in Strait of Hormuz

Joe Hontz, a spokesperson for the Naval Forces Central Command, told The War Zone that the ships are "conducting brief logistical stops in Malaysia." He added that "US forces routinely make port calls in Malaysia as part of our operations, reflecting the close and enduring military cooperation between the United States and Malaysia." Their departure leaves a significant gap in the Navy's mine countermeasure (MCM) capabilities in the Middle East at a time when Iran is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said it has been targeting structures that lay mines. However, to remove the mines that have already been laid requires specialised equipment.

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USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara have this ability. Their package includes unmanned systems, or autonomous underwater vehicles (UUVs) and surface boats (USVs) that can enter "danger zones" to keep the ship safe. Advanced sonar with high-resolution sensors can spot metallic or odd-shaped objects on the sea floor. They also have small robots that carry a charge to blow up a detected mine on-site.