The German Navy conducted the Baltic Mine Countermeasures Exercise (BMX I/24) minehunting manoeuvre in the German part of the Baltic Sea from 11 to 21 March with the Estonian minelayer WAMBOLA and the Dutch minehunting vessel WILLEMSTAD. According to a navy spokesperson, sea areas in the Bay of Kiel and the Pomeranian Bay were used for the international mine hunting exercise.
Under the command of the commander of the 3rd Minesweeper Squadron, Frigate Captain Carsten Schlüter, the German tender RHEIN, the minesweeper patrol boats BAD RAPPENAU and ROTTWEIL as well as the minesweeper DATTELN and the minesweeper PEGNITZ took part in the exercise alongside the Estonian and Dutch units. The new NATO member Finland did not participate in the manoeuvre with a mine countermeasure unit, but with two staff soldiers as observers.
HNLMS Willemstad, Photos: Michael Nitz
In addition to minehunting procedures and the use of weapons, the focus was also on maritime exercises. At the same time, the squadron exercises were used to train personnel to work in a staff.
The unit was in port from 15 to 17 March at the naval arsenal in Kiel, where an exercise was carried out to provide logistical support for the units by soldiers from the 3rd Minesweeping Squadron and other Bundeswehr forces. According to a spokesperson for Operational Flotilla 1, such joint exercises present both challenges and advantages. In particular, the participation of international partners enriches the exercise. Interoperability can only be achieved if operational procedures and methods are practised together. The mutual exchange of experience is essential. This also has a group-psychological effect: it welds people together and creates solidarity across rank groups. One particular result was the discovery of an anti-aircraft mine from the Second World War in the port area of Kiel during a procedural exercise on the safe navigation of a port assumed to be unknown, the so-called harbour opening.
Hans-Uwe Mergener
English 
German
0 Kommentare