Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) sailed from Naval Station Rota, Spain, on May 29th, 2023, charting course towards the upcoming Flotilla Exercise 2023 (FLOTEX-23).

The maritime exercise is hosted by the Spanish Navy in the western Mediterranean Sea.

SNMG2, for the first time since its flagship turnover, entered Naval Station Rota with the USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). The previous flagship was the USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98).

In Rota, Rear Admiral Scott Sciretta, SNMG2 Commander, “engaged with senior NATO and Spanish Navy leadership to discuss future opportunities for maritime operations as well as exercise preparations.” Additionally, Sciretta made his presence felt in a press conference with the local Spanish media.

The upcoming FLOTEX-23 is a Spanish Navy-led maritime exercise aimed at providing “joint warfare interoperability training in a Crisis Response Operation.” It is an open invitation to all NATO nations, intending to test and enhance their joint efficiency and interoperability to ensure a robust defence capability.

SNMG2 is slated to be an active participant in this exercise, which runs from early to mid-June.

SNMG2, a NATO task group, upholds its mandate of strengthening the collective readiness, responsiveness, and interoperability of its forces. Its operations focus on “deterrence and defence against all adversaries in the maritime domain, upholding freedom of navigation, securing maritime trade routes and protecting the main lines of communication.

The group is one among four Standing Naval Forces that function under the umbrella of the NATO Allied Maritime Command, which is headquartered in Northwood, United Kingdom.

You can read more by clicking here.

George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison

14 COMMENTS

  1. OT – 47 Squadron disbanded today. 🙄 Where has the SFF moved to, or is that gapped as well?

    • Babcock used to have the maintenance contract on the Hercs at Brize but it passed to Marshalls. Indeed, this is a sad day. You would think that with an £18billion uplift to the defence budget we could have kept them for a while longer.

    • Mate more sad but expected need!!!! And off topic, Denis (Ukrainian) has stated a couple of Leopard 2s and a few M113 have been hit by Russian OS! There is footage but to be verified. Now to see how Ukraine fairs in the advance! Hope for the best, use the kit and the training they have been given with the Ukrainians courage and experience! Always hardest in the advance mate.

        • Just checked the WarZone. All the reports are from the Russians so no doubt exaggerated, though some footage shows the APCs brewed up and lost.

          As long as it is not Kursk all over again.

      • Glory to Ukraine.
        Hit and knocked out or did the armour hold up and they’re recoverable?
        The Leopards, the M113 I understand is weak like a tin can?

        • M113s seem to be wrecked and at least 1 Leopard! Will be expected but seemingly caused by bad road move tactics while constrained by FF minefields.

          • The first grainy pictures did indeed look like 113s! Mmm Now after the attack we have crystal clear images of Bradley’s and a leopard’destroyed’. Its looking a bit to modely for me!

    • Hi mate. They have been planning for this for a long time. I’m sure arrangements are in place with the A400 fleet. 👍(We hope 😬)

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