MCM BLACK SEA TASK GROUP
On 1st July the first activation of the Mine Counter Measures Black Sea Task Group (MCM Black Sea TG) has started in İstanbul.
The MCM Black Sea TG was announced in late 2023 and Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces, Commander of the Romanian Navy, and Rear Admiral Kiril Yordanov Mihaylov, Commander of the Bulgarian Navy signed the MoU for the task group in Istanbul in January 2024.
The main purpose of the MCM Black Sea TG is to keep maritime traffic in the Black Sea safe, through surveillance, reconnaissance and neutralization of sea mines, as well as related search and rescue operations at sea.
The Vilnius Summit Communiqué, issued by NATO Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Vilnius 11 July 2023 stated that “The Black Sea region is of strategic importance for the Alliance. This is further highlighted by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. We underline our continued support to Allied regional efforts aimed at upholding security, safety, stability and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea region including, as appropriate, through the 1936 Montreux Convention. We will further monitor and assess developments in the region and enhance our situational awareness, with a particular focus on the threats to our security and potential opportunities for closer cooperation with our partners in the region, as appropriate.”
The MCM Black Sea TG is based on this statement and is embodiment of the allied regional efforts of the NATO partners in the Black Sea while upholding the 1936 Montreux Convention.
The command of the task force will rotate among its members. The Turkish Navy is in command until the end of the year.
The first activation of the group was between 1 – 16 July 2024. The second activation is scheduled for 20 -29 September. The last activation is planned for 3 – 13 November. On 2 January 2025 Bulgaria will take the command from Turkey. Currently there are two activations planned for 2025.
During the first activation period the task group participated in Bulgarian led naval exercise Breeze-24. The next activations they are going to participate in Turkish led Nusret and Romanian led Poseidon naval exercises to hone their mine countermeasures skills.
During the activation ceremony in Istanbul, Admiral Tatlıoğlu welcomed his guest and stated “As Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye we have always worked together and will continue to do so to ensure peace, security and stability on our waters”. Vice Admiral Mihai Panait said that “this structure not only enhances our collective operational capabilities but also addresses the conflict in our region, which has imposed the mobilization of the three riparian NATO states to ensure the freedom of navigation, respecting the Montreux Convention.”
According to the Commander of the MCM Black Sea Task Group Rear Admiral Yusuf Akyüz their mission is to ensure the safety of the maritime traffic against the threat of naval miners and to strengthen the cooperation and interoperability among the participants.
Turkish Navy deployed the logistics support ship A-574 TCG Güngör Durmuş, acting as the flag ship, and the mine hunter M-270 TCG Akçay. On behalf of the Bulgarian Naval Forces, the mine hunter M-33 BNS Sturma participated. The Romanian contribution was the minesweeper 30 ROS Sublieutenant Alexandru Axente.
The task group participated in the Bulgarian led naval exercise Breeze-24. The ships moored at the Port of Burgas on July 6, where they were welcomed with a Ceremony.
The Bulgarian Navla Forces reported that the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov, presented the goals and objectives of the exercise during a press conference, which was attended by the commanders of the Flotilla of Combat and Auxiliary Ships - Flotilla Admiral Velko Velkov, and of the Mine Action Group - Captain Yusuf Karagule. Rear Admiral Mihaylov stressed that the participation of the ships of the Naval Mine Action Group in BRIZ 2024 enabled for more effective and timely coordination and implementation of its tasks. He explained that the group will operate in the western part of the Black Sea in the maritime spaces of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey and will not go beyond these areas.
The second port visit of the MCM Black Sea TG was between July 15 and 17 in the port of Constanta. According to Romanian Naval Forces during the port visit a delegation of the naval group made an official visits to the Fleet Command "Vice Admiral Vasile Urseanu" and to local public institutions in the Municipality of Constanta. At the same time, the members of the crews of the Turkish ships visited the Turkish Military Cemetery in Slobozia, and performed wreath laying ceremony.
The Turkish Ambassador in Bucharest and the Turkish General Consul in Constanta visited the TCG Güngör Durmuş.
The port visit to Contanta was the end of the first activation of the MCM Black Sea TG. Currently the task group is on standby and can be deployed in 2 to 3 days time if their presence is needed.
While neither Ukraine nor Russian Federation has not declared how many mine they have planted. According to the Turkish Naval Forces by mid July 2024 17 drifting sea mines have been neutralised by Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria. The Romanian Naval Forces however estimate for the same period 103 sea mines have been confirmed and neutralized, five mines being neutralized by the Romanian Naval Forces, five mines neutralized by Turkey, five mines neutralized by Bulgaria, one mine neutralized by Georgia, 84 mines neutralized by Ukraine and three mines neutralized by the Russian Federation
