Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group TWO (SNMCMG2) successfully joined 11 additional ships in the annual Turkish Mine Warfare Exercise NUSRET 13 in Saros Bay November 22-30.
The SNMCMG2 units FGS MOSEL, FGS ROTTWEIL and TCG ERDEMLI were joined by the Hellenic Navy HS EVROPI. The Turkish Navy, under the command of the Turkish Mine Group Commander participated with 10 ships and several air and land-based assets.
After a harbour phase in the Canakkale Naval Base from November 22-24, the Task Force arrived in their assigned operating areas and commenced mine counter-measures operations. While the Task Force operated at sea, the Turkish Air Force and Turkish Coast Guard simulated attacks by fighter jets, low slow flyers and speedboats. The NATO mine countermeasure vessels detected and simulated the destruction of ten mines. Mine clearance divers from ROTTWEIL neutralised mines using the autonomous underwater vehicle REMUS.
SNMCMG2’s flagship FGS MOSEL also participated in seamanship training with TCG C.G.HASAN PASA, the flagship of the exercise.
Prior to entering Canakkale Naval Base again on November 29, the ships conducted “lead-through” training, where the flagships were led by a mine-hunter through a mine-free channel out of the area.
“Exercise NUSRET 2013 put our ships’ mine counter-measures capabilities to the test,” said Commander, SNMCMG2 Commander Matthias Seipel. “I congratulate the Turkish Navy on a well-organised and challenging mine counter-measures exercise.”
[mappress] Press Release, December 4, 2013; Image:NATO