Keywords: US Navy 050811-N-8154G-031 A Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) trails the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) prior to Anti Mine Counter Measure (AMCM) exercises.jpg en Caribbean Sea Aug 11 2005 - A Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat RHIB trails the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan LHD 5 prior to Anti Mine Counter Measure AMCM exercises off the coast of Panama Bataan Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fifteen HM-15 and HM-14 are making history conducting mine sled operations from the well deck of the ship for only the third time in history and for the first time while the ship was underway Bataan and embarked company are underway for PANAMAX 2005 PANAMAX is a training exercise in defense of the Panama Canal involving 15 countries The Panama Canal is critical to the free flow of trade and goods in the Western Hemisphere and the entire world The region's economy and stability largely depend on the safe transport of several hundred million tons of cargo that transit through the canal every year U S Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Jeremy L Grisham RELEASED 2005-08-11 050811-N-8154G-031 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 27113 U S Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Jeremy L Grisham PD-USGov-Military-Navy Rigid-hulled inflatable boats PANAMAX 2005 Stern views of watercraft General views of USS Bataan LHD-5 Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 United States Navy Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 United States Navy |