The Finnish Navy organizes Baltic Shield 2016 exercise

The Finnish Navy will exercise with Estonia in the Archipelago Sea and in the Gulf of Finland between 10 October and 14 October 2016.

Baltic Shield 2016 is a firing and mine counter-measures exercise for vessel units of the Finnish and Estonian navies. Finland will take part in the exercise with two Katanpää-class minehunters and Estonia will participate with two Sandown-class minehunters and a support vessel. About 80 persons from Finland and about 110 persons from Estonia will participate in the exercise. Some of the participants are conscripts. The exercise will be led by Commander Kristian Isberg, Commander of the 4th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron.

- The national aim of the exercise is to improve the ability to operate as a part of a multinational mine warfare naval force and to develop the competence of the personnel when serving in demanding international crisis management tasks, Commander Isberg explains.

The international goal is to develop the air defence interoperability of naval artillery and vessel operations and to maintain and develop international cooperation in mine warfare.