June 7-25 mine countermeasures ship „Sūduvis" M52 of the Lithuanian Naval Force assigned to the Baltic Mine Counter Measures Squadron (BALTRON) will take part in the largest international naval exercise in the Baltic Sea BALTOPS 2010. The exercise organised under the Partnership for Peace Programme will be take place in the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian territorial waters of the Baltic Sea. 36 ships from navies of 14 NATO countries and partners will gather to the exercise: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, France, Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Germany. The maritime training event is sponsored by the United States Navy.
The exercise will provide an opportunity for ship crews to drill mine hunting and sweeping, warships manoeuvring, maritime convoy, artillery firing, aircraft and counter-terrorism defence, and other combat actions.
BALTOPS has been held annually in the Baltic Sea since 1994.
The Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON) is a joint naval unit of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia comprising the Joint Staff and ships allocated by the Baltic States. The main objective of the formation is search and neutralisation operations of unexploded mines and ammunition remaining on the Baltic seafloor from WWI and WII. The trilateral Squadron also serves as a training platform for warships of the Baltic States before standby in the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), and for staff officers and shipcrews of national naval forces to act in compliance with NATO procedures.
Note for media: for more information contact PER Officer of the Lithuanian Naval Force Lt.(N) Antanas Brencius, phone no 00370 46 39 1207,ell phone no 00370 698 18196.
Picture by Laimis Bratikas. LNF ship „Sūduvis" M-52.
