Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO concluded participation in NATO’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) Exercise DYNAMIC MANTA 15 (DYMA 15) on September 23.
Together with other ships, submarines and aircraft, several exercise serials were conducted around the clock.
Exercise DYNAMIC MANTA 15 started with a pre-sail conference September 11, during which representatives from NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, the participating units and SNMG2 discussed the upcoming events for the exercise. Two days later, SNMG2’s flagship, German frigate FGS HAMBURG left the port of Catania on the Italian island of Sicily.
Nine of the participants spent the first day off the Sicilian coast in a manoeuvring exercise. Three ships and six submarines from six nations sailed together in formation, while a shipborne helicopter captured the scene. Then all units changed course towards their assigned areas to carry out their training programme, which tested the capabilities of personnel, systems and sensors alike, from basic serials to more advanced exercises.
During the exercise, the ships, submarines and aircraft from nine nations operated together as a cohesive force, focusing on enhancing their interoperability by practicing common tactics and procedures.
This demonstrated NATO’s capacity to operate in three dimensions, with submarines, surface and air assets taking turns as hunters and hunted.
Image: MARCOM