Panama City Beach - Mine Sweeping Squadron & Largest Helicopters In Panama City Beach

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The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division is hosting three of the largest helicopters in the western hemisphere. The HM 14 mine sweeping squadron out of Norfolk, Virginia, flew in a few weeks ago for training missions over the gulf.
They are the largest helicopters on this side of the world. Three giant MH-53E Seadragon helicopters are right at home at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division. "We have multiple missions flying from day into night," said Lt. Matthew Reeves.

The HM 14 Squadron is here to conduct mine sweeping training missions. The MH-53E Seadragon has a hunting device that uses sonar to find mines underwater. "We have dummy mines out in the water that have been placed there just so we can do these exercises, so we can evaluate the new gear," said Reeves. Once the chopper detects a mine, sweeping equipment will cut the mine's wires so it can be neutralized.

"We are supposed to be deployable anywhere in the world within 72 hours. So this gives us a chance to practice that, packing everyone up, bringing it down here and operating from not our home base. We would not be able to conduct our missions without the expertise that is located here in Panama City," said Lt. Cmdr. Dale Johnson, the Officer in Charge of the HM 14 Squadron.

These techniques were most recently used during the Iraq War. Of all the bases in the world, this one is the absolute best for this type of training. "The exercise is set up here in Panama City, Florida, because of the clarity of the water. We are able to conduct an exercise here with the 53's that they can't necessarily do anywhere else in the world," said Reeves.

It's not just the water that's a draw. "This is probably the foremost mine exploration region in the world here in Panama City. So all the equipment that we actually tow in our helicopter, the mission specific equipment is actually here. Some of it was actually manufactured here and some of it is actually serviced here. We have all the military and civilian experts here that can help us conduct our training most effectively," said Johnson.

The US Navy is the only organization in the world conducting airborne mine countermeasure missions.

This article was reported by Meredith TerHarr. Thanks Meredith!