Standing NATO Mine
Countermeasures Group 1
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The
Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) is one of NATO`s
two specialist Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Groups. It is a permanently
established, multinational, sea going force of MCM vessels, on task
continuously, to give NATO the ability to respond to a wide range of
missions almost anywhere in the world.
FEATURED NEWS
17 Jan 13
Poland
Takes Command of NATO Mine Counter Measures Group
Today
in Gdynia, Poland took command of the permanently established NATO
Mine Countermeasures group 1 (SNMCMG1). The Change of Command ceremony
took place on the Naval Base in Gdynia, Northern Poland. Commander Piotr
Sikora (Polish navy)
accepted Command of SNMCMG1 from his Belgian colleague, Commander
Yvo Jaenen (Belgian navy).
On taking over the Group, Cdr Sikora said “
Taking
responsibility for the NATO Mine counter measures force is a tremendous
privilege for Poland and is for me a source of great personal pride.
Over 40 years this force has been a tangible expression of NATO smart
power. Not only fulfilling a valuable mission in war and peace but also
making a great contribution in the diplomatic sphere through engagement,
exercises and visits".
Biography
18 Oct 12
SNMCMG1 successfully concludes
exercise Joint Warrior
During
the last 2 weeks, the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 1
participated in the exercise Joint Warrior 12-2. In this UK-led,
advanced tier 2 exercise, the SNMCMG1 was part of the Multi National
Force led by COMNLMARFOR.
Main focus for the Mine Counter Measures (MCM) vessels was put on
long-term MCM operations in a multi threat environment.
After a fruitful weekend in Faslane with initial briefings, the exercise
started with a ‘swarmex’; an experimental tactic on countering the fiac
threat. Continuing the exercise with force integration training, it
ended with a 7 days tactical phase.
During
this last part the snmcmg1 conducted MCM operations on the approaches of
and in a number of lochs like loch ewe and loch broom leading to
Ullapool. While executing their primary role they were challenged and
needed to cope with a constant air threat. During Joint
Warrior a lot of underwater contacts were found and identified by ROV-s
or shipboard divers. In total 9 mines, 125 rocks, 1 uncharted wreck and
25 obstructors were identified; the electronic databases of the UK
hydrographical Organization will be filled a little more!
25 Sep 12
SNMCMG1 participates in exercise DANEX-NOCO
Continuing
from port of Ghent, FGS Fulda, part of SNMCMG1, sailed to Frederikshavn
(Denmark) and joined DANEX-NOCO (Danish Exercise-Northern Coast), a
multi-national live exercise conducted at sea around the northern parts
of Denmark, which provided excellent exercise opportunities offering a
wide span of training activities for maritime units. Amongst more than
20 participating units were frigates, corvettes, MCMVs, fast patrol
boats, several support ships and various types of aircraft.
The
key task for the MCMV's embedded in the maneuver was mine hunting.
DANEX/NOCO particularly offered great opportunities to practice joint
maritime operations with other types of units thus complementing their
capabilities.
During
the first week of the maneuver the Force engaged in air defense
exercises which were later peaked by multi target exercises with live
shooting at air and surface targets at the same time. Aside from this
time was used to practice basic seamanship like search and rescue
operations, mailbag transfer and replenishment at sea as well as towing
maneuvers.
During
the second phase of DANEX-NOCO the group was tasked to conduct time
restrained mine hunting in areas where practice mines of different sorts
were especially laid. The challenge was even more amplified by the fact
that the operating units of the Force at all times faced air, sea and
asymmetric threats. With the assistance of protective units FGS Fulda
and the other SNMCMG1 ships remained save. Ultimately the Force proved
itself very capable to coordinate with various units of other nations,
and successfully completed the assigned (exercise)mine hunting task.
17 Sep 12
NATO Mine Countermeasures Capabilities: a pivotal
Feature for the Alliance
On
Sunday the 16th of September Rear Admiral Hank Ort, Chief of Staff of
the Allied Maritime Command in Northwood visited the Standing NATO Mine
Counter Measure Group 1 (SNMCMG1) during the port visit in Oslo, Norway.
After a brief by the commander of the group Commander Yvo Jaenen of the
Belgium navy, they visited the Estonian ESN Sakala and the Norwegian
HNoMS Karmøy. Admiral Ort was informed about the latest techniques in
countering maritime ordnances and he met with a number of crewmembers,
who clearly enjoyed the port of Oslo but were very keen to get to sea
again for their next UK exercise Joint Warrior.
Over
dinner with all ships' commanders of SNMCMG1, Rear Admiral Ort
congratulated them with the achievements of the group during the
Danish-German led exercise Danex-Noco, where 7 historical explosive
ordnances were taken out of sealanes in the west Baltic. These
unexploded devices are often remainders of the second world war and do
occasionly harm ships and crew to date.
"The group has proven over the last weeks to be very effective in
countering mines, and are therefore delivering a very important service
to the maritime community: 'safety at sea'. More generally, being able
to exercise with this amount of ships from so many nations, contributes
to maritime security in the long term and is a pivotal feature of the
alliance" said rear admiral Ort.