Royal Canadian Navy Welcomes NATO Fleet to Halifax

Rear Admiral John Newton, Commander of Canadian Maritime Forces Atlantic released the following message on July 31st, 2014:

“Today, the Royal Canadian Navy is proud to receive Rear Admiral Brad Williamson and three ships from Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2), as well as two American ships under Rear-Admiral Victorino Mercado, Commander Strike Group 8 for a five-day port visit in Halifax.

For over 65 years, Canada has worked side-by-side our NATO allies and partners in countless international missions and exercises. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has been an important contributor to NATO and continental operations since its founding, and continues to provide modern and versatile capabilities to alliance missions, and highly trained personnel to its command structures.

Today, we continue to stand together with NATO allies. Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Toronto is on its way to the Mediterranean to join partner navies on NATO reassurance activities. In the next few weeks five of our ships will train with SNMG2 in a multinational exercise along the Atlantic Coast, honing interoperability and tactics in high fidelity, at sea scenarios.

To the senior officers and crew members of the SNMG2 contingent USS Leyte Gulf, the German ship FGS Neidersachsen, and Turkish ship TCG Kemalreis, as well as the senior officers and crew members of USS Anzio and USNS Medgar Evers, welcome to our beautiful country and welcoming port city. I am looking forward to meeting with you in person and I hope that you will have a pleasant stay in Halifax.”

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Press Release, August 1, 2014; Image: Canadian Navy