VILNIUS, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Lithuanian Navy's minesweeper M54 Kursis is ready to participate in NATO naval activities after meeting its requirements, local news agency ELTA reported on Monday.
According to ELTA, the announcement came after NATO combat readiness evaluation of mine countermeasures ships in Belgium on Nov. 6-17.
During the evaluation, NATO experts assessed the vessel's technical and equipment conditions as well as its crew's theoretical and practical knowledge about it, communications procedures and ability to carry out coordinated actions with NATO partners.
Lithuania is part of the standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), an immediate reaction force ensuring constant NATO mine countermeasures capabilities which can operate in the time of peace, crisis or an armed conflict.
SNMCMG1 operates in waters of northern Europe, mainly the Nordic and the Baltic Seas, where it carries out mine clearance operations and attends other international drills of NATO countries and training with NATO partners.
