March 20, the second „Hunt" class mine hunter and sweeper M54 purchased form the United Kingdom moored in the Lithuanian Naval Fleet in Klaipėda.
Crew of M54 under the lead of Lt Cdr Tadas Jablonskis have been supervising refurbishment and modernization works under an intense transfer of ship schedule at the UK Seaport Falmouth since August 2010.
Training of the crew and transfer of the ship followed an elaborate programme to teach members of the crew to run the ship in line with security requirements, handle and upkeep weaponry and other equipment. Once the training was done new installations of the ship underwent sea test while the crew drilled skills of handling the cutting-edge equipment.
The first mine hunter and sweeper M53 arrived in Klaipėda in the beginning of last December.
The project of purchasing and modernization of „Hunt" class mine hunters and sweepers M53 and M54 was launched by the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania and the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom in 2008. The project encompasses a thorough examination and modernization of the ships' hulls, upgrade of the ship and weaponry operation systems, replacement of old power stations with new ones, etc. the ships were also equipped with some of the world's most up-to-date mine countermeasures tools: sonars, control and command, and mine destruction systems.
The new ships of the Lithuanian Naval Force will conduct seafloor surveillance and participate in mine countermeasures operations on a regular basis to ensure safety of navigation, fishery, technical and engineering works in Lithuania's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea.
As a NATO member Lithuania takes part in the NATO defence planning process and together with other Baltic States specialize in naval mine warfare, i.e. builds on the capabilities relevant for NATO mine countermeasures force. The new vessels will be assigned to the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) and will join its mine countermeasures operation in turns or on a rotational basis with naval assets of other allies. In case of a crisis mine countermeasures vessels ensure clear approaches to seaports and territorial waters, and safe and open sea passage for support from the allies. For the last decade Lithuania together with Estonia and Latvia has also been developing a joint mine countermeasures project Baltic Squadron (BALTRON) formed of national mine countermeasures assets.
For the media: for more information contact CIMIC Representative of the Lithuanian Naval Force Lt (N) Antanas Brencius, office phone 00370 46 391 207, cell phone 00370 698 18 196.
