SNMG1 ships visit Sweden for drills with navy, air force

Ships from NATO’s standing maritime group one (SNMG1), arrived in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 19 for a scheduled port visit as part of the group’s deployment to the Baltic Sea.

This week, SNMG1 will exercise and conduct maritime maneuvers in the Baltic Sea together with elements from the Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Navy. The main focus for the cooperation and the drills will be to exercise command and control connectivity and information exchange.

“Sweden is a key partner to NATO, and I look forward to engage and train with the Swedish Navy and Air Force to enhance interoperability and share best practice within areas of common interest,” said Commander SNMG1, Commodore Ole Morten Sandquist. “Sweden is one of the most active PfP (Partnership for Peace) nations and it is important that we exercise together to ensure connectivity and a high level of interoperability.”

SNMG1 is currently composed of the NATO group flagship, Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen, and the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen. Swedish Armed Forces units taking part in the drills will include the JAS Gripen aircraft and corvettes HSwMS Visby and HSwMS Helsingborg.