Text and photo: Major Michael Christiansen, SPAO DATG

It is especially important to know the ships which participate in the exercise that everyone is preparing for.

– There are new ships and new planes in Exercise DANEX 07. Therefore our men must be able to recogize them when they appear on the horizon, says action information Petty Officer Bent E. Olsen on board the command ship THETIS.

While sailing to the exercise area at Bornholm he gave a lesson in recognition with special focus on the ships and planes which participate in DANEX 07.

Bent E. Olsen: When your post is  lookout it is important that you  besides spotting ships and planes can  report their type.

– This is a Polish helicopter MI-14. It is used in Poland by both the Army and the Air Force as well a by the Rescue Service. Two of them participate in the exercise, and they are both used to spot and locate submarines, says Bent E. Olsen while the helicopter is shown on the screen seen from different angles. Later he gives a more detalied description of the MI-14.

More than 20 participants have shown up for the lesson. Besides the lookouts Bent E. Olsen has also invited other crew members who were interested, but he is surprised that so many turned up.

– I had expected 10-12 participants. There are many new crewmembers on board and much knowledge might have slipped during the ship’s long stay at the dockyard. The participants all gave very positive feedback. So this suggests that this training offer should be repeated.

Besides a presentation of ships and planes in DANEX 07 Bent E. Olsen also told about the precautions which must be taken when a plane approaches a warship. Amongst other things he informed about the rules for warning calls and warning shots.