U.S. Navy EOD Units Complete Training Exercise CrabEx

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Skyles | FORT STORY, Virginia (April 18, 2023) – A U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal technician assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 6 (EODMU 6) attaches detonation cord to a blast charge during an airfield demolition and repair (ADR) drill at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, April 18, 2023. U.S. Navy EOD platoons from EODMU 6 and EODMU 12 are executing Crab Exercise (CrabEx) hosted by Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training and Evaluation Unit 2 (EODTEU 2), a training exercise that requires U.S. Navy EOD units of action to clear a range of simulated explosive threats during full mission profile drills using special operations mobility tactics and advanced technologies. U.S. Navy EOD operate as a part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Force (NECF) enabling the U.S. Navy Fleet with a unique capability to clear and protect the battlespace from a range of explosive hazards. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nicholas Skyles)  

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

05.02.2023

Story by Lt. Brittany Stephens 

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group Two

U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) platoons from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 6 and EODMU 12 successfully completed Crab Exercise (CrabEx) 23-2, May 1, 2023.

CrabEx is a two-week training exercise planned and hosted by EOD Training and Evaluation Unit 2 (EODTEU 2) that tests units’ ability to carry out missions to detect, locate, and render safe ordnance.

Platoons executed drills to respond to surface, underwater, chemical, nuclear, and biological ordnance. The exercise allowed the platoons to communicate and coordinate in response to specific scenarios in a realistic training environment.

“U.S. Navy EOD platoons must continuously train to counter and defeat a spectrum of explosive threats,” said Cmdr. Paul Mahoney, commanding officer, EODTEU 2. “We integrate real-world operational scenarios to train platoons to develop uncanny threat assessment to ensure they’re ready to integrate with supported units and contribute to the complex challenges that Fleet and Joint Force Commanders need to compete and win.”

Platoons also used special operations mobility tactics and advanced technologies to reach and/or clear the simulated explosive threats. Teams completed free fall parachute insertion, static-line parachute insertion from a C-130 H3 Hercules, fast rope insertions from MH-60S Seahawk, as well as MK-16 underwater diving to drill sites.

EODMU 6, EODMU 12, and EODTEU 2 all are headquartered under Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group Two (EODGRU 2). EODGRU 2 provides skilled, capable, and combat-ready deployable forces around the globe to support a range of operations and oversees all east coast explosive ordnance disposal.

U.S. Navy EOD operates as a part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Force (NECF) enabling the U.S. Navy Fleet with a unique capability to clear and protect the battlespace from a range of explosive hazards.

• Date Taken: 05.02.2023
• Date Posted: 05.02.2023 16:56
• Story ID: 443857
• Location: VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, US