Participants from 16 NATO and partner nations concluded the naval mine countermeasures exercise, Dynamic Move 2024, on 13 September in La Spezia, Italy.
The multinational exercise, hosted at Italy’s Mine Warfare Training Center (MARICENDRAG), served as a platform for practising mine countermeasures and fostering international maritime security cooperation, according to a press release.
The exercise brought together forces from NATO members such as Belgium, Italy, the United States, and Turkey, as well as partner nations including Georgia, Japan, and Ukraine. The main objective was to strengthen the participants’ capabilities in naval mine warfare and to enhance interoperability between Allied and Partner forces.
Belgian Captain John Saussez led the exercise’s Task Force, while Romanian Captain Sebastian Barote commanded the Task Group, which included three Task Units led by officers from Belgium, Greece, and Poland.
Captain Barote, who is also the Commander of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2), emphasised the value of the exercise for the alliance.
“This exercise plays an important role in ensuring the readiness of NATO MCM capabilities. We have the opportunity to train together, practice our common procedures, exchange ideas and share our own experiences and learn from each other,” he said.
Barote also noted that the exercise allowed NATO and partner nations to “increase the interoperability between our forces and demonstrate Alliance unity and cohesion, and our commitment to our common values.”
Dynamic Move 2024 also featured contributions from various military and academic institutions, including the U.S. Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center and Belgium’s Naval Mine Warfare Center of Excellence. Presentations focused on the latest developments in unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and critical undersea infrastructure, alongside broader discussions on naval cooperation, air mine countermeasures, and maritime law.
Belgian Captain John Saussez underscored the strategic importance of mine countermeasures for NATO. “It is important for NATO to show our capability to do Naval Mine Countermeasures in any environment and especially to cooperate with other nations. We are here to improve the procedures. Mine countermeasures are relevant today to our freedom of navigation and so that we can safeguard the movement of merchant shipping for our communities,” he said.
The Dynamic Move exercise is part of a broader series of training events hosted by NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), which serves as the central command for all NATO maritime forces.
These exercises are vital for maintaining the operational readiness of NATO’s naval capabilities and ensuring seamless cooperation between allied nations in maritime security operations.
