To counter the serious threat of sea mines, NATO keeps two Mine Countermeasures Group– one based in the Baltic Sea, the other in the Mediterranean – on standby at all times.
The Turkish minehunter TCG Akçay recently conducted a counter-mine exercise, ensuring its readiness to handle all taskings.
Join Ben Cooke, a former UK Royal Marines Commando on assignment for NATO with the Turkish minehunter TCG Akçay in the Sea of Marmara.
Follow him as he takes a dive with the Turkish Navy to detonate a dummy mine. TCG Akçay – which previously served with Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) – has a variety of means to dispose of sea mines.
Its powerful sonar can detect mines that are either moored or ground in the sea floor, while a special system reduces the ship’s magnetic field, preventing it against sea mines.
Once a mine has been detected, the ship can deploy a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to confirm the nature of the explosive, and mine clearance divers to render it safe, often by detonating it in place.
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