These diver support units host detachments of the three groups of clearance divers (GPD) based on the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Normandy coasts. During the month of June, the four BBPDs were deployed in simultaneous operations, in the Mediterranean, Baltic Sea and the Channel-North Sea area.
Based in Cherbourg and deployed since mid-May, Vulcain, with a detachment of the GPD Manche on board, first conducted mine clearance operations off Dieppe at the end of May. The neutralization of these 83 historic munitions represents 3.6 tons of explosives.
The BBPD crew then took part in NATO’s BALTOPS 2023 exercise, alongside some 20 surface units from 40 nations. Along with the tripartite minehunter (TMC) Sagittarius, the Vulcan participated in mine-hunting exercises. Using its underwater robot, the BBPD was able to survey the <> practice mines, confirming French expertise and interoperability in the field of mine warfare.
The Styx, the base ship of the GPD Atlantic, embarking a detachment of clearance divers equipped with their underwater drone (AUV), conducted a permanent maritime safeguard posture mission (PPSM), in securing and protecting the French territorial approaches. Before joining the Sagittarius TMC in Scotland to take part in the SEA BREEZE mine warfare exercise alongside units and detachments of NATO clearance divers and guest nations.
From May 15 to June 11, the Acheron evolved in the Mediterranean Sea. In Montenegro, GPD Mediterranean clearance divers continued the work carried out by the CMT Lyre last May, by carrying out identification dives of a wreck that could be that of the submarine Monge, disappeared during the Second World War.
The crew of the Acheron then reunited with that of the Pluto at the port of Valletta, Malta. Their stopover made it possible to prepare to act jointly as part of a BBPD task group with their demining diver and marine rifle detachments, in cooperation with Maltese divers. Several activities were carried out between the two countries, between BBPD visits, exchanges on the medical support of a dive and a joint dive.
The Pluto then operated in support of the Italian Navy as part of its seabed control operation, Fondali Securi. Alongside the Italian minehunter Gaeta, the Pluto conducted surveillance operations on the portion of the trans-Adriatic pipeline that transports natural gas between Albania and Italy, strengthening mutual cooperation between allied nations in terms of securing the seabed. It is finally off Corsica that the Pluto operated, intervening for the benefit of the Department of underwater and underwater archaeological research (DRASSM) in the context of diving expertise on the wreck Sanguinaires C, dating from the sixteenth century.