The NATO-led mine countermeasure exercise Dynamic Move kicked off on March 19 at Ecole de Guerre des Mines (Naval Mine Warfare School) in Oostende, Belgium.
The exercise will see the participation of mine warfare specialists from 16 allied nations and four NATO partners.
Exercise Dynamic Move is an annual NATO-led tactical level mine countermeasures command post exercise carried out on a computer war gaming system and designed to train participants from NATO and partner nations on the intricacies of managing multiple mine countermeasures ships in a group to clear minefields and open shipping lanes and ports.
Participants will use a special wargaming system designed for Ecole de Guerre des Mines that can simulate the command and control requirements for managing multiple mine sweepers and mine hunters operating in various conditions and locations.
Each of the groups is led by a current or former commander of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Groups. These officers have come through this program themselves, serve as commanders of NATO groups, then return to mentor the next leadership cadre. It’s an excellent opportunity to infuse real-world experience and lessons learned into the exercise.
Dynamic Move will run March 19-29 and has more than 160 participants from Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States as well as four observers from NATO Partners Algeria and Morocco. Ecole de Guerre des Mines also serves as NATO Naval Mine Warfare Centre of Excellence which offers recognized expertise and experience to the benefit of the Alliance.