Denmark and Finland have signed agreements with Finnish defence company Forcit to procure its BLOCKER naval mine system under the Finland-led International Naval Mines Cooperation initiative. The multinational programme also includes Germany, Lithuania and Norway and is designed to strengthen joint procurement, logistics, training, exercises and life-cycle management cooperation. In June, the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command signed a contract with Forcit on behalf of all five participating countries. The Finnish government valued the agreement at hundreds of millions of euros. BLOCKER is a smart influence sea mine carrying an explosive charge equivalent to more than 1,000kg of TNT. According to Forcit, it can be deployed from boats, ships or helicopters and remain active on the seabed for up to two years. Its multi-sensor detection system combines acoustic, pressure, magnetic and inertial sensors, with an optional photonic sensor also available. Operators can programme the mine’s detection and detonation algorithms to recognise different target signatures and meet specific operational requirements. Forcit also supplies programming equipment and tools for developing, testing and updating these algorithms. The company said BLOCKER is armed only after it reaches the seabed.
