Finland and Denmark are moving ahead with procurement of Forcit’s BLOCKER naval mine through the International Naval Mines Cooperation framework, a multinational initiative led by Finland with participation from Germany, Lithuania and Norway. The Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command placed the joint contract with Forcit in June on behalf of all five countries, with the government describing its value as hundreds of millions of euros. The initiative is intended to coordinate acquisitions and improve cooperation in logistics, training, exercises and system life-cycle support. BLOCKER is a smart influence mine with an explosive charge equivalent to more than 1,000kg of TNT. It can be deployed by boat, ship or helicopter and is designed to remain operational on the seabed for up to two years. Its detection architecture combines acoustic, pressure, magnetic and inertial sensors, with an optional photonic sensor. Users can configure detection and detonation algorithms according to target characteristics and mission requirements, while Forcit provides the programming equipment and tools needed to develop, test and update the software. The company states that the mine becomes armed only after reaching the seabed.
