NATO Vessels Depart Exercise Joint Warrior

Three of NATO’s Standing Naval Forces have completed their participation in the UK-led Exercise JOINT WARRIOR 15-1: Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) and Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Groups ONE and TWO (SNMCMG1/2), following nearly two weeks of intense multi-national training.

NATO’s three Standing Naval Forces joined more than 40 additional warships and submarines and 70 aircraft. In total, around 13,000 personnel participated in the exercise.

During the exercise, NATO participants tested their abilities in numerous warfighting areas:

– gathering and applying simulated intelligence reports to build situational awareness and inform operations across the Task Group
– conducting boarding exercises utilizing small boats and specialised boarding teams
– searching for and located opposing forces’ surface and sub-surface assets
– successfully defending against simulated air attacks and small boat/pirate attacks
– eliminating a simulated pirate camp
– planning and executing a large-scale attack on an opposing force
– conducting live-fire exercises
– locating and countering dummy mines with the help of remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs) to ensure access to harbours and amphibious landing forces
– conducting real-world underway replenishments at sea
– engaging both simulated media within the context of the exercise scenario and real-world media on the overall conduct of NATO exercise participation

Rear Admiral Brad Williamson, Commander of SNMG2, said:

We honed our operational skills and tested our tactical execution throughout the exercise, and most importantly improved our ability to rapidly integrate multinational forces to operate as a cohesive unit.

SNMG2’s ships arrived in Liverpool on Friday, 24 April for a routine port visit. While in Liverpool SNMG2 leadership will meet with local Royal Navy leadership and civilian dignitaries, as well as explore the surrounding areas. Upon completion of the port visit SNMG2 will return to sea and prepare for its next exercise with Allied navies.

SNMCMG1 and 2 are conducting port visits to Glasgow and Belfast respectively, before they continue their mine countermeasures deployments.

NATO Participants in Exercise JOINT WARRIOR 15-1:

Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (Rear Admiral Brad Williamson, USA N)
– USS VICKSBURG
– HMCS FREDERICTON
– TCG GOKSU
– FGS SPESSART
Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group TWO (Captain Giovanni Piegaja, ITA N)
– ITS EURO
– TCG ANAMUR
– FGS BAD BEVENSEN
Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE (Cdr Peter Bergen-Henegouwen NLD N)
– FGS DONAU
– BNS LOBELIA
– FGS AUERBACH
– HMS PEMBROKE
– ORP MEWA
– HNLMS WILLEMSTAD
– HNOMS RAUMA

Image: MARCOM