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        HMS Middleton

        HMS Middleton, Mine Countermeasures Vessel (MCMV), detects, investigates, and destroys sea-bed threats with the use of high powered sonar, remote underwater vehicles and divers. HMS Middleton is one of eight Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels that forms part of the Royal Navy’s Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCM2) based in Portsmouth. The ship is currently deployed in the Gulf as part of Operation Telic MCM.

        COMMANDING OFFICER

        Steve Higham

        Lt Cdr Steve Higham
        RANK:
        Lieutenant Commander
        JOINED:
        1997
        SPECIALISATION:
        Warfare
        PREVIOUS UNITS:
        HMS Montrose, HMS York, HMS Manchester
        Military experience

        Steve Higham joined the Royal Navy in 1997 after gaining degrees in Law and International Law at Cambridge University. Following initial training at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and HM Ships Quorn and Sutherland, he was appointed to the Destroyer, HMS Cardiff as a Bridge Watchkeeper.

        Between 2001-2003, Higham served as the Flag Lieutenant and Aide de Camp to Flag Officer Surface Flotilla. This was an intense period of activity that saw the Royal Navy respond to the events of 9/11 while undertaking radical reform and significant reshaping. After this early insight into strategic and operational thinking, Higham joined the Fishery Protection Squadron serving as Executive Officer in the Patrol Vessel, HMS Guernsey. Selected for a Lieutenant ‘Command Appointment’ he moved to the Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMS Mersey as Executive Officer and Officer in Temporary Command under the innovative 3 Watch Manning regime.

        Selected early for promotion to Lieutenant Commander in 2004, Higham undertook the Initial Command and Staff Course (Maritime) and the Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) Courses in 2005. His first appointment as a PWO was in the Type 23 Frigate HMS Montrose, conducting maritime security, counter-terrorism and asset protection patrols in the Gulf. Higham became Operations Officer as Montrose conducted further operational deployments to the Gulf and Mediterranean in 2006-2007. The Ship was awarded the Fleet SeaWolf trophy during this period in recognition of her efficiency and operational effectiveness.

        Advanced Air Warfare training followed, with Higham being awarded the BAE Systems Prize and an assignment to the Type 42 Air Defence Destroyer, HMS York as Operations Officer and Executive Officer in 2007. In 2008, Higham received the prestigious appointment as Senior Warfare Officer in the Destroyer HMS Manchester, deployed as Regional Air Defence Commander for the Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden working as part of the USS Harry S Truman Carrier Group. In recognition of this contribution to strike operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Royal Navy ‘first’ of deploying fully integrated into a US Carrier Group, Manchester was awarded the Fleet SeaDart trophy for air warfare effectiveness. Manchester followed this with another operational deployment to the South Atlantic in 2009.
        Higham was most recently appointed to the UK Ministry of Defence as a policy and operations advisor in a busy, specialist, operational Directorate.
        Selected for Command in 2010, he joined the Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron in Command of Crew 2 and HMS Cattistock in Aug 2011 followed by HMS Middleton in Jan 2012.

        Steve Higham is married and lives on the South Coast. A limited (but keen) tennis, squash and cricket player, he and his wife share common interests in cooking, travel and watching cricket and international rugby union.


        OPERATIONS

        Operation Gulf MCMV

        CURRENT STATUS: active
        image
        MISSION SUMMARY

        In support of wider British efforts in the region, minehunters are providing the capability to conduct route survey, sea-bed clearance, and mine clearance operations all over the Gulf. The operation also aims to provide a visible naval presence in a region where stability and good relations with local nations is vital. Much of the UK’s oil and gas, as well as other products, come from the Gulf region and as such these efforts are of vital importance to our economy and lifestyle.

        UNIT DIARY

        Surface Fleet
        HMS Middleton
        • NATO exercises for MCMs in the Gulf30/03/11

          Minehunters Middleton and Pembroke joined NATO’s Maritime Mine Counter Measures Group 2 to be put through their paces in the Gulf during the final part of a month long exercise. Exercise Inas Bahr (Friendly Seas) sought to share best practice in mine hunting and to foster relations between participating nations.

          Read more

        LATEST NEWS

         

        TOP STORIES

        HMS Middleton conducting winching drills with a US Navy Sea Hawk helicopter
        Mighty Midd’s minehunting mission musters mock mines
        12 April 2012

        HMS Middleton demonstrated her minehunting prowess during an exercise with...

        HMS Ramsey and HMS Pembroke
        Minehunters shrug off storms to continue their Gulf mission
        02 April 2012

        Royal Navy minehunters based in the Gulf have shrugged off...

        Middleton
        Crew 2 Go The Extra Mile
        25 March 2012

        Although she is one of the smaller ships of the...

        Middleton Feb
        February Proves To Be Busy Month For Crew 2
        04 March 2012

        The 45 officers and men of Her Majesty's Ship Middleton...

        ABOUT THE UNIT

        KEY STATISTICS


        Pennant

        M34

        Displacement

        685tonnes

        Complement

        45personnel

        Length

        60Metres

        Beam

        10metres

        Draught

        3.4metres

        Top Speed

        15knots

        Range (Nautical)

        1500miles

        Launch Date

        27/04/83

        Commissioned date

        15/08/84

        TAKE A LOOK

        UNITS IN TIME


        HMS Middleton HISTORY

        TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED HMS Middleton
        • Once a Lord...

          Little known fact – one ship carried the name HMS Lord Middleton. She was a requisitioned naval trawler, taken over by the Admiralty in 1939 and saw service during World War 2.

        • Services

          The mine countermeasures vessel HMS Middleton is the second ship to be named after the Middleton Hunt. The first, a Hunt-class destroyer (L74) was launched during World War 2 and decommissioned in 1958.

        Current Jobs

        Defence Technical Non Grade Scheme (Marine Engineering)

        The engineering branch includes weapons  marine and air engineering. Marine Engineers manage the repair and maintenance of the ships electrical and mechanical systems alongside and at sea.  Later in your career you will become involved in the procurement and building...
        More info

        Marine Engineering Grad Entry

        The Engineering Branch includes weapons, marine and air engineering. Marine Engineers manage the repair and maintenance of the ships mechanical and hydraulic systems alongside and at sea. Later in your career you will become involved in the procurement and building of...
        More info