Four mine warfare units - the minesweepers "Bad Bevensen", "Dillingen", "Homburg" and the minesweeper "Bad Rappenau" of the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron, as well as the civilian support ship SAR BRAGE chartered by the navy - had a training exercise in the exercise area off Schönhagen near Olpenitz at the beginning of November. underwater blasting training again for the first time since 2019. The German Navy took elaborate measures to protect marine animals such as the harbour porpoise (bottlenose dolphin) in particular, after carefully weighing up the interests of species protection and defence capability in consultation with the nature conservation authorities.
Marine and marine mammals
As part of its activities, the Navy attaches great importance to minimising the impact on marine mammals and other creatures in the maritime environment. However, it must first and foremost be able to fulfil its defence mission. In order to be fully operational, the boats and crews of the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron and the mine divers of the naval battalion need certification that meets NATO standards. This can only be achieved through practical training.
Of scarers and pingers
In the past, the navy had already used sound pulses to scare away marine animals in the area prior to planned explosions, or "scaring them off" as it is more technically known. The minehunting and mine diving boats are currently being retrofitted with modern "seal scarers" and "pingers", as they are already in use in the civilian environment.
Bubble veil
In addition to the scaring, a further, particularly elaborate protective measure was added for the first time during the blasting exercises in the Schönhagen training area: WTD 71 (Wehrtechnische Dienststelle) of the BAAINBw (Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr) had a circular bubble curtain created around the blasting site in the training area at a depth of around 30 metres. Designed in three concentric rings, this system increasingly decouples the sound impulse of the blast from ring to ring by means of rising bubbles. This considerably reduces the range of the sound waves, within which marine mammals could potentially come to harm. These bubble curtains can also be clearly recognised on the surface of the water. The chartered civilian ship on which the necessary compressed air is generated with compressors is positioned not far away.
Chartered SAR BRAGE for the generation of compressed air bubble curtains. Photo: Michael Nitz
Scientific support
This first-time use of a bubble curtain for naval blasting was accompanied by extensive measurements by WTD 71, the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research GEOMAR in Kiel and a company commissioned by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). The German Armed Forces, nature conservation authorities and researchers are thus jointly using the data collected in the blasting area on underwater noise behaviour.
Administration must also be
In addition, the BAIUDBw (Federal Office of Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services of the German Armed Forces) had drawn up guidelines for underwater blasting in consultation with the nature conservation authorities. It applies to all training, exercise and testing purposes of the Bundeswehr in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. However, findings from the first exercise blasting with a bubble curtain will only be incorporated into the next version.
Minesweepers Homburg, Bad Bevensen, Dillingen and minesweeper Bad Rappenau returning from the exercise area. Photo: Michael Nitz
Conclusion
Practising with side effects: Things that make sense are slowly coming together. The corona break was probably put to good use here - because coordination like this, across various departments of the Ministry of Defence alone and with external civilian authorities and centres, does not happen on its own!
Source: PIZ Marine
All photos: Copyright Michael Nitz, Naval Press Service
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