HMS Pembroke participates in NATO exercise

The British Royal Navy’s HMS Pembroke, a Sandown class minehunter, has participated in a NATO exercise, the navy announced on 7 June. The ship worked as a part of Standing Mine Counter Measures Group 1 (SMCMG1).

The task group for Exercise Open Spirit included 14 NATO and partner nations – the US, Sweden, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, France, Estonia, Denmark, Canada and Belgium.

The mine-hunter operated off the coast of Lithuania and covered 54nm2 of seabed, scanning and identifying around 912 objects. Of these objects, 15 mines and three torpedoes turned out to be explosive ordnance and were tackled by the task group.

Wrecks of three ships, three exercise mines, 34 mine chairs and parts from two rockets were also identified by the scanning.

HMS Pembroke located a Russian mine from the First World War in the approaches of Lithuania's Klaipeda harbour, using its sonar system. It then deployed a remote underwater vehicle for positive identification of the object, after which explosive ordnance disposal divers disposed of the mine.

Lt Cdr Jim Lovell, Commanding Officer of HMS Pembroke, said: ‘For six of Pembroke’s crew this was their first deployment and the opportunity to work as part of NATO in the Baltic region is not something which many on board have experienced before. It was a good result for HMS Pembroke and demonstrates the unique capability that mine hunters provide for the Royal Navy and NATO.’

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Sandown Class