Baltops exercise to end in Baltic Sea on Saturday

The two-week international naval exercise Baltops 16 is to end in Kiel, Germany on Saturday, during which Estonian naval units got valuable experience in mine countermeasures (MCM) as well as allied cooperation.

"To sum up, the exercise enabled (us) to practice different tactical procedures, develop the allies' knowledge of the conditions on the Baltic Sea, as well as co-operation," Lt. Capt. Johan-Elias Seljamaa said. He added that the sea as well as the seabed were extremely difficult for a mine countermeasures operation.

The exercise entailed activities at sea, in the air, and on the ground. Estonia contributed a MCM command post, the MCM vessel Admiral Cowan, and the diver and support vessel Tasuja. Altogether some 80 naval personnel from Estonia took part in the exercise, military spokespeople in Tallinn said.

About 6,000 military personnel, 50 vessels, 60 flying craft, and a submarine took part in the 44th Baltops exercise. It was the first time in the history of Baltops that the exercise took place so far up North.

The countries that took part in this year's Baltops were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.