Navy diver to counter IED threat in Afghanistan
7 Oct 09
A Royal Navy Petty Officer (Diver) has swapped the icy waters of Scotland for the desert and mountains of Afghanistan, making him the first Royal Navy explosive ordnance disposal operator to conduct bomb disposal in the region.
Members of 63 Squadron (Queen's Colour Squadron) RAF Regiment search the sand carefully for improvised explosive devices ahead of a patrol around Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan
[Picture: SAC Neil Chapman, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
Petty Officer (Diver) Jay Gardner is an expert in bomb disposal both at sea and on land and will be deploying with a team of three divers from the Fleet Diving Squadron in Portsmouth to work alongside colleagues from the Army's Royal Engineers and Royal Logistic Corps.
A member of the Northern Diving Group since November 2008 when he joined from minehunter HMS Walney, Petty Officer Gardner has been conducting intensive pre-deployment training for the last six months.
The Royal Navy Diving Branch is a small specialisation of the Mine Warfare Branch dedicated to a wide range of underwater diving tasks and more specifically to mine and ordnance disposal underwater.
As well as being trained to fire the .50-calibre explosive ordnance disposal sniper rifle, Petty Officer Gardner is also both commando- and parachute-trained, a fact that has impressed his Army colleagues.
Whilst in Afghanistan, Petty Officer Gardner will support NATO troops in the area, conducting any explosive ordnance disposal operations needed by the Royal Marines and infantry on the ground.
Petty Officer Gardner said:
"I wanted to go to Afghanistan to make a difference.
"The training and experience I have received as part of Northern Diving Group has been second-to-none and I am looking forward to using those skills in Afghanistan.
Petty Officer (Diver) Jay Gardner
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
"They need people with expertise out there and I am happy to do my part."
During a visit to Afghanistan last month Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a concerted effort to increase the counter-improvised explosive device (IED) measures in the country.
As part of this it was announced that, in addition to the 200 counter-IED experts already deployed to Afghanistan this year, a further 200 will be deployed this autumn to support their sophisticated work.
Mr Brown also announced a major stepping-up of research and analysis on countering the IED threat back in the UK.
The Prime Minister said:
"We are making headway, both in finding the IEDs before they explode and in identifying and targeting the bomb-makers and those who finance and direct them.
"The new capabilities that we have deployed and are deploying in the coming months directly support these operations, which are having a significant impact on the ground in Afghanistan."
The Northern Diving Group is based at HM Naval Base Clyde and is called out to numerous suspected explosive devices and washed-up World War II mines each year. Each member is highly trained in bomb disposal both in the water and on shore.