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.
Click here for more articles about NATO at EU Today
Story/Images: NATO
Connect with NATO online:
Visit the Official NATO Homepage: https://bit.ly/NATOhomepage
Receive NATO updates via email: https://bit.ly/NATOemails
Find NATO on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/NATOfacebook
Follow @NATO on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/NATOtwitter
Follow NATO on Instagram: https://bit.ly/NATOinstagram
Find NATO on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/NATOlinkedin
Find NATO on Flickr: https://bit.ly/NATOflickr