The minehunter ‘Tambre’ locates and identifies two torpedoes and a mine from the Second World War

•  These operations demonstrate the effectiveness and specialisation of the Navy’s minesweepers in neutralising ordnance that may pose a risk to navigation and the freedom of movement of ships

The minehunter ‘Tambre’ (M-33), whilst deployed with NATO’s Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2), has located and identified two torpedoes and a mine from the Second World War; one of the torpedoes was found at a depth of 100 metres.

Operations began with the detection of the contacts using the ship’s sonar, which enables the location of objects on the seabed. Once located, the minesweeper’s sonar team classified them as possible torpedoes and a mine, given their appearance and position on the seabed, and immediately proceeded to visually identify them using the ship’s underwater vehicle. Finally, the Pluto Plus remotely operated vehicle (ROV), equipped with sonar and a camera, provided clear images of the objects, confirming that they were two torpedoes and a mine from the Second World War.

Operating the Pluto vehicle at great depths involves a high degree of technical complexity, requiring great precision in controlling the vehicle, as well as outstanding training and coordination on the part of the ship’s crew.

This type of operation highlights the effectiveness and specialisation of the Navy’s minesweepers in naval mine warfare, an essential capability for detecting, identifying and, where necessary, neutralising devices that may pose a risk to navigation and the freedom of transit of both merchant and military vessels.

NATO Standing Naval Forces

The NATO Standing Naval Forces (SNF), which include two escort groups (SNMG) and two mine countermeasures groups (SNMCMG), are the forces that provide NATO with a permanent maritime presence.

These groups form part of the NATO Response Force, that is, the set of assets that the Alliance can rapidly activate in the event of a crisis. Thanks to them, NATO maintains ships continuously deployed in strategic areas and can react swiftly if the situation demands it.

The primary mission of SNMCMG-2 is to help maintain freedom of navigation, ensure maritime safety and strengthen the existing bonds of friendship between the countries that make up the Alliance. It achieves this through the detection, location, identification and neutralisation of mines.

The fight against naval mines is vital to enabling free navigation and ensuring control of the seas for the rest of the force. Through the participation and integration of the minesweeper ‘Tambre’ into NATO’s Standing Maritime Group, Spain demonstrates its commitment to international security, as well as its firm commitment to its allies and other international organisations to which it belongs.