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60Maritime Reporter & Engineering News NavyThe Danish Navy is the expert when it comes to flexible, mod- ular combat capability. It cre- ated the StandardFlex modules for the Flyvefisken class of patrol vessels in 1995 that was built specifically to op- erate with the containerized modules.But Denmark is no longer facing a Cold War threat to its waters. Instead, it is as- suming a broader role involved in inter- national partnerships and coalitions. The Flyvefisken-class has been retired. Today, the new ships of the Danish Navy, including the Absalon class of flexible support ships, Iver Huitfeldt-class- frigates and Knud Rasmussen-class Arc- tic patrol vessels are all designed for combat capability in containers. In somecases, they are the very same containers that sailed about the Flyvefisken-class. Mine warfare is still important to Den- mark. So while the Flyvefisken-class fit- ted out with MCM mission packages isno longer operating for the Danish Navy, the capability is still available to be uti- lized aboard other platforms.Lieut. Cmdr. Kristian Hansen is the commanding officer of MCM Denmark, and is responsible for mine countermea- sures against mines and ammunition at sea. The Danish Navy uses containerized command and control (C2) facilities, div- ing equipment, specialized surface craft and unmanned underwater vehicles to conduct mine warfare as part of MCM Denmark. ?We conduct operations to fulfill our national and international ob- ligations,? Hansen says. ?But we must be able to do our own MCM in home wa- ters.? The last of the Flyvefisken-class STANFLEX 300 ships, which performed mine warfare missions, were decommis- sioned three years ago. Today, the Dan- ish Navy has taken a new approach to mine warfare. Hansen?s MCM Denmark command in- cludes the MCM Staff, and two 14-per- son detachments, Team Alfa and Team Bravo. It includes specialized ships, 20- foot containers with command and div- ing capabilities, and their offboard systems to find and destroy mines. ?I am in command of all the people, the con-tainers, the ships, and the systems.? The MCM system is operated from a20-foot C2 module, which can be fitted aboard a host ship. For the purpose of the recent DANEX / NOCO 2012 exercise, Hansen?s command center ?along with a diving module?is aboard HDMS Thetis, one of Denmark?s inspection frigates used for patrolling the remote waters around Greenland and the Faeroe Islands. ?These two containers, one on each side of Thetis, are the only two we have at the moment.? The command can provide four differ- ent packages. It can bring the entirepackage with the CTU (commander taskunit) staff, along with its command mod- ule and diving module, as well as the MSF ships with sidescan sonar and theMSD ships with the remotely operatedvehicle (ROV), called the mine demoli- tion vehicle (MDV). ?With package 2 we can operate from another platform, without the staff or command module,? Hansen says. ?With the third package, we can place the mod-ule on land and operate from shore. We work with Danish EOD, who can work in very shallow water, inside the harbor, for example, while we use our vehicles out- side the harbor within the approaches tothe port, with command and control fromland. Our fourth option is to bring ourMSD or MSF ships to operate independ-ently.? In that case, we?re on our own,? Hansen says. The ships have a range of about 500 miles. If needed outside ofDanish waters, it?s possible to transport them on a heavy lift ship for international operations. The MSD and MSF ships are small but have comfortable accommoda- tions. The CO has a single, all other s are two bunks to a stateroom. They have a small galley for ?self cooking.? Remote Control of Mine Hunting Vessels MCM Denmark currently has two MSDs and four MSFs. The 95-foot, 98- ton MSDs each carries a remotely oper- A Boxed Set In Denmark Mine Warfare Capability Comes as a Boxed Set By Edward Lundquist ABOVEHDMS Thetis, a Danish frigate nor- mally assigned tio inspection patrolsoff Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, is carrying two modules for MCM Den-mark. The Command and Control (C2) Module is seen here just below the red circle with the white cross. (Photo by Edward Lundquist) MR#11 (58-65):MR Template 11/6/2012 3:14 PM Page 60