| Summary: | With the end of the Cold War, NATO countries have embarked on transformation initiatives within their militaries to address the new security realities of the 21st century. One of the realities that has not changed is the threat posed to modern navies by sea mines. Global proliferation of sea mines, both older variants and advanced designs, has continued to grow and presents a unique challenge to maritime security for NATO. As NATO forces engage in more expeditionary operations, they must be prepared to counter the danger posed by mines from state and non-state actors. This includes ensuring that vital sea lines of communication (SLOCS), strategic chokepoints throughout the world, commercial ports and naval bases remain open and uncontested. In order to meet the challenge of the 21st century mine threat, NATO must continue to develop balanced MCM capabilities that satisfy expeditionary requirements (such as OMCM for in-stride operations) while maintaining effective dedicated forces to conduct sustained MCM operations against more traditional mining operations.
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