NATO Warships in Black Sea Naval Exercises
NATO ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) have completed their participation in joint NATO training exercises and maritime situational awareness operations in the Black Sea.
Warships of from six NATO countries – the US, Canada, Turkey, Germany, Italy and Romania – took part just 300 kilometers of Crimea. The series of naval exercises in the Black Sea off the Romanian coast is held ahead of the one year anniversary of Russia’ annexation of Crimea.
Russia has accused the alliance of "aggressive war games", saying there could be serious consequences for the settlement of the Ukraine conflict.
NATO, meanwhile, insists no additional plans have been made since Russia increased its military presence in the region. However NATO is sending a serious message by not cancelling the exercises.
"The training and exercises we conduct with our Allies in the Black Sea prepares us to undertake any mission NATO might require to meet its obligations for collective defence," US Navy Rear Admiral Brad Williamson, the commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, said March 4th at the start of the month-long event.
According to NATO's maritime command, the goals of the operation are to "assure Allies on the eastern flank of NATO that our commitment to collective defence is absolute."
"NATO remains very concerned about the Russia-Ukraine crisis and about ISIL activities, and continues to monitor these security situations very closely," a NATO source said.
"The planning, coordination and execution of these exercises allowed the integration of SNMG2 and other maritime Alliance assets in a multi-threat environment,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ruiz Rodriguez (ESP N), SNMG2 Staff Communications Officer. "The training provided us with outstanding results and allowed us to showcase our integration for key leadership across the Alliance.”
SNMG2 was deployed to the Black Sea to reassure allies in the region of the Alliance’s collective defence and resolve. Throughout the month of March, SNMG2 participated in three separate exercises designed to improve interoperability and enhance rapid integration of Alliance maritime assets.
"Working with our Allied navies helps us improve our teamwork and interoperability,” said Ensign Andrew Hanna, Vicksburg’s 1st Lieutenant. "The experience that we gained from these exercises will help us become more proficient both as operators and as a unit.”
