BALTOPS 2025: Mine countermeasures units arrive in Kiel
HNLMS Snellius
As part of its deployment in the Baltic Sea and its active participation in BALTOPS 2025, Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) will call at Kiel from 20 to 24 June 2025. Since the start of the exercise in Warnemünde, the SNMCMG1 has been fully involved in the BALTOPS 25 exercise - conducting live firing, navigation and manoeuvring exercises. At the same time, the units patrolled to protect the critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) in the region. In addition to training, real-world mine countermeasures (MCM) operations were conducted to detect and identify historical ordnance, emphasising the continued importance of the Group's mission in ensuring maritime security.
The role of the SNMCMG1 in the Baltic Sea is crisis response: Always on the alert and ready to act quickly in the event of new threats. With the Operation Baltic Sentry will be a Improvement of maritime situational awareness and protection of vital infrastructure guaranteed by permanent presence. With the clearance of historical ordnance, the shipping routes of the Baltic Sea will become safer. The continued deployment of SNMCMG1 emphasises NATO's commitment to maritime security, cooperation between Allies and the protection of critical underwater infrastructure in an increasingly complex security environment.
Minehunting boat "Datteln", class 332 Photo: Michael Nitz
The visit to Kiel is not just a break, but a further phase in preparation for the next manoeuvre. The commanders will meet with NATO representatives to agree on the next phases of BALTOPS, which brings together over 40 ships from 16 nations in the Baltic Sea for one of the largest maritime exercises in the region. The stopover will also give the crews the opportunity to relax and enjoy a well-deserved break.
"Harbour visits are more than just a break, they are essential to strengthen the cohesion of the entire working group. I take the time to liaise with the crews on site and get a feel for their mood before we set off again, says Commander Erik Kockx, who has headed SNMCMG1 since January 2025.
Open Ship in Kiel - Get on board now!
SNMCMG1 opens its hatches at the weekend: Interested visitors gain rare insights into the technology and everyday life on board modern NATO mine countermeasures units. Take the opportunity to experience maritime security at first hand!
- HNLMS Snellius (Netherlands)
- FGS Datteln (Germany)
- FS Aigle (France)
- HSwMS Kullen (Sweden)
- HNoMS Hinnoey (Norway)
- ENS Sakala (Estonia)
Location: Naval base Kiel
Date: 21-22 June 2025
Time: 10:00 - 17:00
Source: Press release by the Naval Command, Press and Information Centre, Press Office of Operational Flotilla 1 Kiel
English 
German
Moin,
The "Open Ship" at Kiel Naval Base, which I attended on Sunday 22 June 2025, was a great disappointment this year (measured by the number of foreign units that called at Kiel); the SNMCMG 1 was of course present (although the Swedish minesweeper "Kullen" left again on Sunday 22 June 2025 at around 13.00), but beyond that only the Danish frigate "Absalon", a Danish naval home defence cutter, the Polish frigate "General Tadeusz Kosciuszko" (PN 273), the American lead ship "Mount Whitney", as well as five training boats from the United Kingdom were present; none of these units took part in the "Open Ship"...
The base was only accessible up to the level of the supply quay and on the "Gorch-Fock-Mole" (the former "Tirpitzmole") only up to the level of the stern of the German frigate "Bayern".
In the meantime, however, I can also see from this what priority the "Baltic Sea theatre" has for NATO: with the exception of the countries bordering the Baltic Sea, the Baltic Sea is not a very high priority (in view of the other existing hotspots, such as Israel, Lebanon, the Red Sea off Yemen and the Persian Gulf).
In addition to the now obligatory bag and rucksack check when entering the naval base, this time we also had to show our ID.
Here it became apparent that the "witch hunt 2.0" (this time against Russian citizens) had begun: my wife (63 years old) showed her Russian passport (she has held a permanent residence permit for 26 years for residence in the Federal Republic of Germany) and... was turned away; she was not allowed to enter the naval base in Kiel and then turned back.
This did not affect my two daughters, as they have both German and Russian passports as dual nationals.