Warships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) will enter the Black Sea to join their mine countermeasure countermeasure counterparts already operating in the region.
After SNMG2 ships from the UK and Turkey enter the Black Sea through the Bosphorus, they are scheduled to join Standing NATO Mine Counter Measure Group 2 (SNMCMG2) during a port visit in the Romanian city of Constanta on February 1 and 2.
SNMCMG2 has been operating in the Black Sea since January 24.
In Constanta, Romanian Navy frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand will join SNMG2 for its second deployment with the group within a year . The former Royal Navy Type 22 frigate contributed to the NATO operation Sea Guardian as part of SNMG2 in October 2017.
During their stay in Constanta, Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan and hydrographic survey ship HMS Enterprise will be open to public on Saturday, February 3.
Once underway, ships from the two NATO groups will conduct joint training off the Romanian coast joined by two Romanian Air Force MiG 21 aircraft.
In addition to at sea maneuvers with regional maneuvers, the groups will make visits to Bulgarian ports of Burgas and Varna.
SNMCMG2 is composed of flagship HMS Enterprise, Romanian minesweeper ROS Lt. Lupu Dinescu and Turkey’s TCG Akcay. SNMG2 comprises flagship destroyer HMS Duncan, Turkish frigate TCG Gaziantep and Romania’s ROS Regele Ferdinand. The groups are scheduled to conclude Black Sea operations by February 13 and 17, respectively.