<P> Each Baltic state appoints one or two ships to BALTRON for certain periods and staff members for one year . Service in BALTRON provides both, the crews and staff officers, with an excellent opportunity to serve in an international environment and acquire valuable experience in mine countermeasures . Estonia provides BALTRON with on - shore facilities for the staff . </P> <P> Since 1995 Estonian Navy ships have participated in most of the major international exercises and operations carried out in the Baltic Sea . Even though it was not until 1993 when the Navy was re-established and despite the fact that it incorporates one of the smallest fleets in the world, the young crews of the Navy ships have demonstrated excellent interoperability during international exercises and have proved to be equal partners with other navies . </P> <P> From May 2005 to March 2006 EML Admiral Pitka (A230) was assigned as the Command and Support Ship of NATO's Standing NRF Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) which is part of the NATO Response Force's maritime capability . ENS Admiral Pitka was the first vessel from the Baltic navies to be part of the force . SNMCMG1 is also one of the Estonian Navy's main NATO partners . </P> <P> The top priority for the Estonian Navy is the development of mine countermeasures capability that is also one of the Navy's peacetime responsibilities: during World War I and II more than 80,000 sea mines were laid in the Baltic Sea . Since 1995 a number of mine clearance operations have been carried out in Estonian waters by the Estonian Mineships Division in close co-operation with other navies of the Baltic Sea region in order to find and dispose of ordnance and contribute to safe seagoing . </P>

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