Belgian minehunter M921 Lobelia returns from Exercise Dynamic Mariner


This Thursday, October 22, the M921 Lobelia returned to its home port after two months of missions in the Mediterranean Sea. She namelly participated in the major naval exercise "Dynamic Mariner" organized by the French Navy.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link


Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Lobelia (M921) is a Tripartite-class minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component (Picture source: Wikipedia)


From September 25 to October 9, 2020, 5,000 soldiers from 7 NATO nations (France, Belgium, Spain, United States, Greece, Italy, Netherlands), with around thirty surface assets and submarines, and nearly 40 aircraft were taking part in Exercise Dynamic Mariner, a major NATO exercise, in the Mediterranean Sea. This exercise is part of the preparation cycle of the NATO Response Force (NRF), NATO's multinational joint force.

Belgium, the Navy in particular, was present in force with two mine hunters (M916 Bellis and M921 Lobelia), a Very Shallow Water team (detection in shallow water), a team ensuring the forward logistics link (FLS: Foward Logistic Site) and NCAGS (Naval Cooperation And Guidance for Shipping) staff.

Lobelia (M921) is a Tripartite-class minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 3 February 1988 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Anne Van De Kerckhof, the wife of the then Mayor of Diest, on 25 February 1989. The patronage of Lobelia was accepted by the city of Diest. It was the seventh of the Belgian Tripartite-class minehunters.