NATO ships from eight nations conducted an international mine countermeasures exercise off the coast of Latvia between 1 and 13 May 2026. Exercise Open Spirit 2026 brought together Allied and Partner navies to enhance interoperability and reduce the threat posed by legacy naval mines — ordnance left on the seabed from both World Wars that continues to pose hazards to commercial shipping, fishing, and local communities across the Baltic Sea.
This year’s exercise was held in close coordination with Sweden’s national defence exercise Aurora 26, linking mine warfare capabilities with wider regional defence efforts. Open Spirit 2026 assembled nine diving teams and five autonomous underwater vehicle teams alongside ships from eight nations, with nearly 400 military personnel participating in total.
Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) led the exercise, with the Polish Navy flagship ORP Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki serving as the lead vessel. Commander Kacper Sterne of the Polish Navy, SNMCMG1 commander, said: “Open Spirit provided an ideal opportunity to enhance capabilities in detecting and countermining sea mines from past conflicts, while also allowing forces to train the full MCM kill chain, maintaining a high level of SNMCMG1 operational readiness.”
Unlike many military exercises, Open Spirit delivers a direct operational result: every mine or explosive remnant located and neutralised immediately improves maritime safety. Using advanced underwater systems, participating forces conducted identification of suspected objects and safe disposal of confirmed mines and unexploded ordnance.
SNMCMG1 is one of four standing NATO maritime groups providing continuous maritime presence across peacetime, crisis and conflict scenarios. Open Spirit rotates annually between the Baltic States, reinforcing regional ownership and cooperation in what remains one of the Baltic region’s most persistent maritime security challenges.
