site.btaTurkiye Takes Over Command of Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Naval Group

The Turkish Navy will take over the command of the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Naval Group MCM BLACK SEA from Romania. To mark the occasion, a ceremony will be held at the headquarters of the Turkish Naval Forces in Istanbul, with the participation of senior naval commanders from Turkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania, the Turkish navy said.

As part of the programme, a review of the 12-month activity of MCM BLACK SEA is planned. The contributions of Bulgaria and Turkiye during the Romanian chairmanship will be highlighted. Messages are also expected to be delivered by the commanders of the naval forces of the three countries.

With the assumption of command by the Turkish Naval Forces, the eighth activation of MCM BLACK SEA will effectively be initiated.

The Command of the Turkish Naval Forces under the Ministry of Defence has put out a special brochure presenting information on the objectives and tasks, activities, and naval vessels of the three countries that will participate in the activations in 2026 under Turkish Navy command.

The Bulgarian minesweeper Priboy was ceremonially dispatched to participate in the next activation of the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Naval Group MCM BLACK SEA and in the ceremony for the transfer of the group’s command from the Romanian Navy to the Turkish Navy, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry said.

The mine countermeasures group was established in January 2024 following the signing of a memorandum between Bulgaria, Turkiye, and Romania to ensure free and safe maritime areas in the Black Sea.

The group’s main tasks include reconnaissance and surveillance in view of the threat posed by naval mines, the conduct of mine countermeasures operations, participation in joint exercises aimed at improving operational interoperability, and contributing to enhanced NATO maritime situational awareness in the Black Sea.