Gallery: EML Sakala involved in NATO naval exercise outside Finland, Sweden | News
The maneuvers, within the framework of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), to which Merevägi contributes a ship, and of the related Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1), were particularly relevant in view of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, NATO reports on its website.
This has led to the need for further reinforcement of deterrence and defense at sea as much as on land and in the air and in cyberspace, and at a time when both Finland and Sweden are preparing for formal applications to join the alliance. after decades of neutrality.
EML Sakala (M314), a minesweeper, currently constitutes the Estonian contingent in SNMCMG1, while the group is currently led by Merevögi Commander Ott Laanemets.
The Sakala has taken art in the exercises that started on Monday and will continue until tomorrow Tuesday.
Highlights have included air support exercises with a submarine from the Swedish Navy, which covers anti-submarine warfare and the use of aircraft with fixed wings and helicopter operations, as well as defensive procedures for entry and exit from port.
Earlier last week, SNMCMG1 stopped in Turku, Finland, and practiced countermeasures with Finnish counterparts, followed by an exercise in the Archipelago Sea, NATO reports, while SNMG1 went on to Stockholm on Friday and joined Swedish partners in interoperability exercises.
SNMCMG1 includes the Latvian Navy’s flagship Latvian Navy LNVS Virsaitisand the Royal Netherlands Navy NHLMS Schiedamas well as Sakala.
SNMG1 includes the flagship HNLMS The Seven Provinces (Netherlands), FGS Erfurt (Germany), HMCS Halifax (Canada) and FGS Spessart (Germany) and, at present, FS Latouche-Tréville (France).
Even though they are not yet members of NATO, Finland and Sweden have long been the alliance’s closest partners, says NATO, and their military has many years of experience in training and operating with NATO forces.
Estonia’s Merevägi is organizationally part of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF).
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