On October 9–12, Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) under command of Lithuanian Navy officer Cmdr Donatas Gečas is visiting Klaipėda Seaport. The NATO unit is led by the flagship LNS Jotvingis (N42), command and supply ship of the Lithuanian Navy.
This is the third time the Lithuanian Navy is in charge of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 and a major milestone for the Lithuanian Navy as a demonstration of NATO Allies’ trust and cooperation. Previously, Lithuanian commanding officers led SNMCMG1 in 2014 and 2020.
During the port call, SNMCMG1 and MCM ship commanders will meet with Chief of Defence General Raimondas Vaikšnoras and Commander of the Lithuanian Navy Captain (Navy) Tadas Jablonskis.
Besides the flagship LNS Jotvingis (N42), German, Polish and Finnish SNMCMG1 MCM ships are on the visit in Klaipėda. The unit is typically composed of 4-8 ships.
Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) is directly in charge of several standing maritime groups. SNMCMG1 and SNMCMG2 are built around MCM capabilities while SNMG1 and SNMG2 comprise frigates and warships. The numbers in the group names denote their area of responsibility: 1 stands for European and 2 – for South European waters.
