On June 30 Lithuania took charge of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) at a ceremony at the Warship and Cruise Terminal of Klaipėda.
Commander Kacper Sterne who led SNMCMG1 for the first semester of 2026 handed over the duties and the flag to Commander Donatas Gečas (Lithuanian Navy) for the next semester. The new SNMCMG1 Commander will lead from aboard the LNS Jotvingis (N42) command and supply ship.
“The Baltic Sea is pivotal strategically, its security is critical for our freedom, economic resilience and Allied security. It is a huge honor and responsibility to be placed on charge of this Standing NATO Group. This is a clear sign of Allied trust and of Lithuania’s steadfast commitment to collective security. I am certain that the Lithuanian Commander Donatas Gečas, the staff and the crew of the LNS Jotvingis will fulfil the duties professionally, resolutely and with pride,” said Vice Minister Bronius Bieliauskas at the ceremony.
Command of all the NATO maritime groups rotate every six months. The Lithuanian Navy takes charge of SNMCMG1 for the third time (after 2014 and 2020). This is a mile tone in the history of the Lithuanian Navy which demonstrates excellent cooperation and trust among the NATO Allies.
NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) directly oversees the four standing maritime groups. SNMCMG1 and SNMCMG2 are built around mine-countermeasures vessels, while SNMG1 and SNMG2 are composed of frigates and destroyers. The number adjacent to the name refers to the area of operations, 1 for the Northern European waters, 2 for South Europe.
Info credit: Lithuanian Armed Forces
Photo credit: Sgt Spc Karolis Kavolėlis.
