Seven NATO Rapid Response Fleet ships including Lithuanian Navy minehunter “Suduvis” (M52) departed from Klaipeda port and opened mineclearance exercise „Route Survey“ in Lithuanian waters on September 10. On request of Lithuanian Navy unit of six countries’ ships led by the Belgian Navy Commander Serge Ots continue mine countermeasures in unexplored area of Lithuanian waters.
The unit left after the “Open Spirit 07” operation closed on September 9.
Following indications of the Lithuanian Navy mineclearance actions will be performed by Belgian, Dutch, Lithuanian, Polish, German, and British warships in still unsearched areas of the Baltic Sea about 20 nautical miles (or 37 kilometres) away from coast of Lithuania.
The operation is aimed at ensuring safe navigation in the Baltic Sea through seabed exploration and removal of hazardous objects as well as through improvement of shipcrews’, staff officers’ and leaderships’ skills.
The exercise should proceed till September 18.
The ships will depart from the Lithuanian waters to continue mineclearance operations and training in Latvia, Poland, Germany and France on September 19. Crew of the Lithuanian minehunter and minesweeper “Suduvis” (M52) led by Captain Lieutenant Giedrius Auksorius should return to Klaipeda only by the end of December.
Minehunter and minesweeper “Suduvis” (M52) officially entered NATO SNMCMG1 as full-right member on August 29. This accomplishment was preceded by participation in numerous international operations, exercises, and check-ups.
In the first half of this year Lithuanian Navy minehunter and minesweeper “Suduvis” (M52) underwent final checkup in Belgium in order to estimate readiness of the ship and her crew to take part in NATO formations. The checkup included technical condition, practical and theoretical crew’s knowledge of ship command, readiness to struggle for ship’s viability, communication procedures, etc. The commission decided that “Suduvis” (M52) met all NATO requirements for ship and crews and was well prepared to join NATO SNMCMG1. | 
