The exercise ESP MINEX-22 is the Spanish Navy annual naval mine warfare, which took place in Palma de Mallorca Bay and surrounding waters. This exercise general concept is to plan and conduct Mine Countermeasures (MCM) operations in mined coastal waters, fictitious harbour entrances, including Very Shallow Water (VSW) operations and amphibious objective area, in order to allow friendly forces access from the sea to mainland under medium-high level asymmetric threat and low level conventional threat.
The officer scheduling the exercise was the “Almirante de la Flota”, Almirante Eugenio Diaz Del Rio (ALFLOT and Commander of EUROMARFOR), while the officer conducting it, was the Commander of the Spanish Navy Mine Counter Measures Force (COMTEMECOM).
EUROMARFOR nations offered 4 (four) ships, and among them were 3 (three) Segura Class Coastal Minehunters (MHC) from Spain (ESPS TAJO as Flagship, ESPS SEGURA and ESPS SELLA), and 1 (one) Tripartite Class Coastal Minehunter (MHC), FS ANDROMEDE from France.
The Commander of the EUROMARFOR Task Group (COMGRUEUROMARFOR) was CDR José María Liarte Ros, Commander of the Spanish Navy 1st Minehunter Squadron (COMANDRAG-1), to whom was delegated the Tactical Command (TACOM) of the EUROMARFOR MINE COUNTERMEASURES TASK-GROUP (EMF MCM TG).
A multinational Staff was integrated in the flagship in order to support the COMGRUEUROMARFOR.
An Activation Ceremony took place in Mahón Naval Station, presided by the Commander of EUROMARFOR on the 25th April, and so, the EMF MCM TG was activated from 25th April to 06th May in order to participate in ESP MINEX-22.
With this participation, EUROMARFOR had the opportunity to engage an EMF TG in an advanced multinational exercise.
This occasion, provided the best high-end training, improving and increasing MHC’s and MCM Diving Teams training in MCM operations, promoting the cooperation and mutual understanding among participants from different nationalities, keeping the readiness of the EUROMARFOR forces and to show EUROMARFOR as a ready, useful and available tool in the maritime domain.
Along with EUROMARFOR and the Spanish Navy, ESP MINEX 22 had the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group-2 (SNMCMG-2) participation, with as well Underwater Unmanned Vehicles (UUV’s) detachments from Belgian and US Navies, enhancing the cooperation and interoperability among those maritime forces.
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EUROMARFOR is 27 years at sea for peace
