Throughout the year, many Baltic navies’ peacetime mission are mine clearance – the Estonian Navy even prioritizes it, due to the large number of mines lying dormant in territorial waters. Today, there is believed to be more than 80,000 mines and other unexploded remnants of war across the Baltic Sea, making certain areas unfishable due to the danger of reeling in explosives, while other areas become hot-zones of rapid evacuation when a decades-old unexploded explosive washes ashore. As peace settled over Europe post-wars, many of the nations disposed of ammunition and explosive ordnance in the ocean – at the time, a safer alternative. Spanning World War I and II, the waterways of the Baltic Sea were often mined to prevent the passage of enemy ships. “This is a way for us to coordinate and collaborate with the best in the world.” Ryan Ventresca, Commodore, Mine Countermeasures Group (MCMGRU) 3, which is overall in charge of MCM evolutions for BALTOPS 23. “The mission of our task group is to maintain, sustain, and improve MCM readiness,” said U.S. In all, the group comprises 12 ships and over 1,000 personnel. Under the command of NATO Commander Task Group 162.40, there are four units participating in the MCM portion of the exercise: Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON), Task Unit 30 and Task Unit 40. One key initiative that delivers training to the crews of the MCM while delivering real-world positive impact throughout BALTOPS 23 is the clearance of unexploded ordnance and remnants of war littering the bottom of the Baltic Sea to this day. Worldwide Navies employ MCM procedures, ships, and technology to clear lanes for ships to access strategic waterways and conduct amphibious landings on contested beaches. The purpose of mine countermeasures is to hunt, identify and neutralize underwater mines to ensure freedom of navigation at sea for all. Ships and ashore units from 11 NATO Ally nations commenced the mine countermeasures (MCM) phase of exercise Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23) in Germany, Poland and in the Baltic Sea, June 5.
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