October 16-29, „Jotvingis" (N42), command and supply ship of the Lithuanian Naval Force assigned to the Baltic Naval Mine countermeasures Squadron BALTRON will participate in an international naval exercise "Northern Coasts 2009", to be held in the Baltic Sea area of Denmark, Germany, Poland and Sweden.
The exercise will be attended by more than 40 warships, air assets, units of special operations and other forces from 12 countries: Belgium, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Estonia, the USA, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, France, Finland, Sweden, and Germany. The goal of the exercise is to improve interoperability of participating NATO and EU members' naval, air and special operations forces in international operations.
Scenario of the exercise includes actions during a fictitious conflict: participating units will be divided into two groups, one of them playing the hostile force, and the other - assistance provided for the attacked country. Combat readiness of shipcrews and other participants of the exercise will also be tested.
The scenario will include situations to exercise actions of warships manoeuvring, ship convoying, artillery fire, aircraft defence and non-conventional arms defence, sea search and rescue, mine hunting and sweeping, and other.
Naval Mine countermeasures Squadron BALTRON was formed by the Baltic States in 1998. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia send ships to operations and the international staff of BALTRON on a rotational basis.
„Jotvingis" (N42) of the Lithuanian Naval Force commanded by Lt. (N) Vytautas Šakalis was assigned to the Squadron in July 2009.
The main goal of BALTRON is to mine-hunt and sweep for mines and unexploded ammunition remaining in the Baltic Sea after World War II. It also helps ships of the Baltic naval forces to get ready for duty in the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1).
For the media: more information - at the PR Officer of the Lithuanian Naval Force Lt. (N) Antanas Brencius, phone 8-46 39 1207, cell phone 8-698 18 196.
