Kmdr Lt. Kacper Sterne officially took the lead present in the Permanent squad of NATO Against Mine defence Group 1 (SNMCMG1). The ceremony was held in Riga. For the next six months, the squad under the direction of the Polish officer will monitor the key routes of northern Europe, practice and participate in mines removal operations from both planet wars.
“Poland is building its credibility in NATO. We show that we are not only beneficiaries of allied security, but besides reliable and active co-workers in our common defence," he emphasises. kmdr Lt. Casper Sterne from the 8th Coast Defence Fleet. present in Riga he officially took command of Permanent NATO Mine defence squad Group 1 (a.k.a. Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1, SNMCMG1). The Pole replaced the Latvian officer, Commander Janis Auce, who held this function for the last six months.
Kmdr Lt. Sterne heads global headquarters, deployed on board ORP ‘Contradmiral Xavery Czernicki’. On 2 January, the ship left the port of Świnoujście to check in in Riga a fewer days later. He'll be moving on soon. Then the mine destroyers from respective countries will join him. For the next six months, the squad will monitor shipping, practice and remove old mines on the waters of northern Europe.
However, their attention will focus primarily on the Baltic, which after the Russian invasion of Ukraine became 1 of the most inflamed areas in the world. On its tiny space, almost a starboard ship operates NATO and the Russian Federation, and on the shipping routes there are tankers called Shadow fleets, which carry an embargo-covered oil in the hold. There have besides been at least a twelve incidents causing harm to critical infrastructure.
To control the waters more closely, NATO launched a fresh Baltic CTF-B Commandand besides activated the operation ‘Baltic Sentry’. Today, allied sea teams liable for the safety of northern Europe spend much more time in the Baltic than a few, respective years ago.
This can be seen even after the distribution of SNMCMG1 activity from the erstwhile half-year. The squad under Latvian command acted, of course, in the North Sea, where among another things, he took part in the "Sandy Coasts 2025" exercises in the Netherlands, but much more powerfully emphasized his presence off the coast of Germany, Denmark, Estonia and Finland.
That's where the maneuvers were organized. ‘Northern Coasts 2025’ and "Freezing Winds 2025"and 2 HODOPS, i.e. operations related to the removal of old mines and unexploded. According to the Latvian Ministry of Defence, together, the team's ships destroyed about 50 specified objects – remnants of both planet wars. There are besides patrols under the Baltic Sentry.
For the last six months, the SNMCMG1 flagship was the Latvian LVNS ‘Virsaitis’. 10 mine destroyers came through the band, including Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, and even Portugal and Canada. Polish trawler besides operated with them in the Baltic ORP ‘Necko’. “It was 1 of the most demanding but rewarding periods in my career,” points out kmdr Auce, quoted by the press service of the Latvian Defence Ministry.
As the Latvian officer says, the results achieved during the mission clearly show her contribution to strengthening NATO's collective defence and deterrence capabilities. "Our presence and constant readiness to act have been a clear and credible signal erstwhile it comes to deterrence. She has demonstrated the determination of allies and their ability to respond decisively to any threat – sums up kmdr Auce.
Now Poles took over from Latvia. In this way, they will compose another chapter in the rich past associated with the presence in the mine teams. The first Polish ship operated under the NATO flag as early as 2002. Then the Navy regularly sent mine destroyers to the teams, and late besides to trawlers. ORP “Czernicki” became the flagship of SNMCMG1 5 times and erstwhile served in SNMCMG2 operating in the south of Europe. Kmdr Lt. Sterne is the sixth officer from Poland to lead the team.
SNMCMG1 is 1 of 4 permanent NATO ship teams. 2 of them are made up of antimine units, and 2 of the large battleships – primarily frigates, but besides destroyers. Polish ships besides served in the past. All teams are part of the Allied consequence Force.
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