Mine Counter Messures Denmark departs on Canadian ship

By the Danish Defence

The Danish contribution is participating until early September in NATO's standing mine countermeasures force, SNMCMG1 (Standing NATO Mine CounterMeasures Group 1), aboard the Canadian warship Moncton.

SNMCMG1 is NATO's standing naval force that can be deployed at short notice and high readiness if a mine threat is identified and there is a need to clear mines and ensure free navigation in a specific body of water.

The Danish contribution from MCM Denmark and the Royal Danish Navy Diving Service is accustomed to being onboard allied ships and operating from them. This is the second time the Danish unit has been stationed aboard a Canadian ship.

The Danish unit can easily move from ship to ship, as its equipment is largely modular. For example, it utilizes a mobile command module housed in a specially fitted 20-foot shipping container that can be placed on land or aboard a military or civilian vessel. In addition, the Danish contribution relies on remote-controlled drones equipped with sonars, as well as divers using advanced underwater robots.

Mines are initially located using sonar. The suspected mine is then inspected more closely either by the diving team or via a camera mounted on a remote-controlled underwater drone. If confirmed to be a mine, it is detonated using a charge placed by the divers or drones.

Along with the rest of the SNMCMG1 force, MCM Denmark will participate in a series of exercises along the way, while also contributing to the enhanced efforts to protect critical undersea infrastructure.