The sight of a highly capable force of NATO minesweepers docked in Palma will have done little to change U.S. President Donald Trump's view of NATO. He appealed to NATO allies to send such vessels to the Strait of Hormuz to clear Iranian mines. Trump's appeal fell on deaf ears and instead of the Persian Gulf these highly capable ships are in Mallorcan waters. The MINEX-26 exercises involve eleven warships, aircraft, and unmanned systems.
These exercises are held annually in Spain and are, in fact, led by the Spanish Navy. This time, they have taken place in the waters off Murcia, Alicante, and now the Balearic Islands, with the United States, Greece, Italy, and Turkey participating alongside Spanish minesweepers.
The main objective is to train for “mine warfare” operations, that is, the detection, identification, and neutralization of naval mines that could block strategic maritime routes or threaten critical underwater infrastructure. To this end, minesweepers, high-precision sonar, autonomous underwater vehicles, and teams of specialized divers are employed.
All the ships in the flotilla are expected to dock at the Porto Pi naval base today with some already having arrived. There is speculation that the vessels could be open to the public tomorrow.
The Minex exercises in local waters usually involved ships of the Royal Navy but over recent years the British navy has been absent.