Finnish warship MHC Vahterpää has collaborated with Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) during Exercise Sandy Coast in the North Sea.
The exercise took place from August 21 to September 1, focusing primarily on coastal security and mine-countermeasure activities in challenging terrains like shallow waters.
“We’ve been working together with our Allies in mine-countermeasure activities, and each Navy has a unique way of executing mine-hunting and clearing. We have come out stronger and with a better understanding of how each-other operates,” stated Commander SNMCMG1, Commander Piotr Bartosewicz.
This year, the exercise was spearheaded by the Royal Netherlands Navy. Setting sail from the Dutch port of Delfzijl, the participants navigated to the Dutch coastal waters near the Wadden Islands. These waters, known for their shallow depths, strong currents, and bustling shipping lanes, provided an apt training ground.
Teams from the Netherlands and Belgium, including the Very Shallow Water Team (VSWT), focused on the detection of mines in shallow waters. Their collaboration highlighted the robust ties between the two NATO allies. During the exercise, the ships were divided into two groups, with SNMCMG1 leading one.
Apart from units from Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Canada, Commander Bartosewicz also acknowledged the participation of the Finnish mine-laying vessel MHC Vahterpää.
The exercise aimed not just at operational readiness but also at strengthening international ties in a fluctuating maritime setting.
SNMCMG1 is a multinational naval force devoted to maritime navigation safety. It primarily operates in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and the eastern segment of the Atlantic Ocean.
Does anyone know what mine laying capability the RN has these days. It’s the type of operation we need to be practicing again given the very large country to our east that’s just built the largest navy in the world and has 200X the ship building capacity of the USA.
I think only submarines for a mission for tomorrow, but i am sure there are contigency plans for River class, trawlers and other civliian ships.
The Astute SSN’s can theoretically tube launch mines, and these are often stated in authoritive publications to be BAE Stonefish – but the RN never purchased any of these!
Indeed, a remember FOI answer years ago confirmed that the UK has not held a stock of sea mines of any type since the 1990’s. We just have some inert practice mines.
An interesting if slightly old article: https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2020/11/an-ageing-mine-hunting-fleet-puts-pressure-on-royal-navy-s-defence-capabilities/
I think we stopped laying mines at the end of the last century, but I could be totally wrong, as no expert.
I did find this on YouTube from 1976
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDp0iRlVBd8
Decent looking gun on the front of the Finish vessel.
Yeah it is a Bofors 40L70, heavy for a mine hunter.
Note:
MHC Vahterpää is not a minelaying ship it is a mine hunter of Katanpää class based on Italian Lerici/Gaeta class.
You say heavy for a MH, but it was standard RN MH armament from the 1950s-c2000.
Indeed.