The two Standing NATO Maritime Forces of Northern Europe, Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) conducted a joint exercise in the waters between Norway and Denmark.
NATO say in a news release that the exercise gathered five ships from three nations and covered an area from the Southern part of Norway to the Eastern part of Denmark and the inlet Baltic Sea.
This is the only time during the first spell of 2020 that the two, for the time being Norwegian-led forces, will exercise and interact together.
From SNMG1 the flagship, the Norwegian frigate Otto Sverdrup and the German oiler Rhon participated, while SNMCMG1 brought their flagship FGS Donau together with the mine countermeasure vessels Otra from Norway and Willemstad from The Netherlands.
NATO say that the exercise gave the participants the opportunity to interact in a range of different maritime areas such as replenishment at sea, towing, gunnery exercise and protection of the ships, as well as advanced manoeuvring.
“The interactions and training of the two groups is of great value. The area selected included also some minor challenges with civilian shipping, but that was intended to ensure realistic training. This also builds a good foundation for later activities in exercises and operations. I have enjoyed the way both groups professionalism have flourished these last days”, said Commodore Yngve Skoglund, Commander of SNMG1.
