In the midst of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, a key NATO task group has been deployed to the Baltic Sea.
This high-readiness unit, known as Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1), is one of four such contingents operated by NATO.
Comprising the German flagship frigate FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Dutch HNLMS De Zeven Provincien, and the Italian destroyer ITS Caio Duilo, the SNMG1 has been tasked with fortifying maritime security in the Baltic Sea.
The group has been patrolling off the Lithuanian coastline, ensuring maritime situational awareness both from the air and at sea. As part of a multi-domain deployment of NATO and allied surface, sub-surface and air assets, the task group has been maintaining constant contact with all allies and partners in the region, including the Lithuanian Navy and Coast Guard.
“Based on the experience we have gained during our deployment in the Baltic Sea over the past months, the task group is able to distinguish routine ship movements from anomalous activities. We are contributing to the security of the area, and we are ready to respond quickly across the full spectrum of operations, if needed,” stated the commander of the Task Group, Rear Admiral Thorsten Marx.
The SNMG1 is part of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), a component of the NATO Response Force (NRF). In situations of increased contingency, additional forces can be integrated into this group, with the NATO command staff aboard the flagship ready to provide timely support to NATO operations.
The Baltic Sea deployment, therefore, reaffirms NATO’s commitment to maintaining security across its entire area, from the High North and the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. The multi-domain approach seeks to deliver a balanced deterrent and highly responsive capability across these diverse zones.
Other news, which I’m surprised the Team hasn’t picked up on yet. Is that Australia is sending an E7 Wedgetail to support NATO, in monitoring the Ukrainian, Belarussian and Russian borders.
The Australian PM announced that the aircraft will support and make sure that vital support flowing to Ukraine by the International community is protected! Which means what exactly?
So far Russia has shown a distinct lack of long range interdiction of military supplies reaching Ukraine via Poland or Rumania. Similarly there has been a distinct lack of Russian ISTAR anywhere near the Polish/Belarussian borders, barring the Il-76 Midas AEW aircraft. You have to ask what intelligence assets Russia are using to monitor the supply routes. Do they have the spy satellites that have the optical quality to not only monitor these borders. But also to determine what the vehicles travelling across them are? Judging by the lack of news with the scale of attacks on the West of Ukraine, I would say not!
There is also another bonus of sending the Wedgetail to Europe. It could be used as a sales pitch! NATO are looking at replacing their E3 Sentries. The Wedgetail would seem like an obvious choice. Especially as it’s going to be based from Geilenkirchen in Germany. Which is the same base the NATO Sentries fly from. Therefore, NATO will no doubt have observers on the aircraft, much like we did when supporting Op Shader. Where the Wedgetail showed that it was significantly more capable than the Sentry. Thereby showcasing the aircraft to NATO.
3 Warships mentioned in the article, 6 in the pic. Is that just a file pic then or the task group at sea?
File picture, although you are correct. Normally NATO SNMG1 is composed of 6 or more surface warships of frigate, destroyer or cruiser classes.
Thanks Mr Bell.
In the 1990s and 1980s there used to be a pretty high certainty a Royal Navy warship would have been in SNMG1. With our excessively shrunken fleet we aren’t undertaking our NATO duties as frequently as we used too. This must’ve been noticed by our allies.