NATO has launched its major annual maritime exercise, Dynamic Mariner, in the western Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, bringing together a powerful array of Allied naval assets to test interoperability and readiness in an increasingly complex security environment.
Hosted and led by Spain, the exercise runs from 24 March to 4 April 2025 and includes operations within Spanish territorial waters.
The drills involve more than 30 surface vessels, two submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, and 1,500 marines and personnel from six NATO nations – France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Türkiye.
According to NATO, the exercise is intended to “enhance Allied naval cooperation, improve operational readiness, and demonstrate the Alliance’s ability to secure vital sea lanes.”
Testing NATO’s New Rapid Reaction Force
While Dynamic Mariner 25 is structured around a fictitious scenario, it provides a real-world opportunity for NATO forces to rehearse crisis response and expeditionary maritime operations. The Spanish Navy is using the exercise as preparation for assuming leadership of NATO’s new Allied Reaction Force Maritime component (ARF/M) in July 2025.
The ARF is a recently introduced concept designed to provide rapidly deployable, multi-domain forces capable of delivering operational effects with little notice. Dynamic Mariner is being used as a proving ground for the ARF, with an emphasis on joint training between sea, land, air and cyber components.
The Turkish Amphibious Task Force will, for the first time, assume the role of ARF Commander Amphibious Task Force (CATF) and Commander Landing Force (CLF) later this year, marking a key development in Allied maritime command integration.
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) are actively participating in the exercise, showcasing the capability of these high-readiness forces to integrate with national task groups. Vessels involved include the German Navy’s frigate Bayern (F217) and the French Navy’s Commandant Birot (F796).
Turkish Navy Captain Kürsat Kurnaz, commander of SNMCMG2, added:
“This exercise reinforces our commitment to maintain safe and secure waters, and contribute to NATO’s overall mission of deterrence and defence.”
Participating forces will conduct joint operations above, on, and beneath the sea, as well as air-based missions. The inclusion of Harriers, maritime patrol aircraft and amphibious landings reflects the exercise’s focus on modern multi-domain operations.
NATO officials describe the exercise as a vital demonstration of Allied solidarity and capability amid a shifting global threat environment.
Totally unrelated but interesting how we are spelling and pronouncing Countries/Cities etc in their indigenous form, suddenly this year all the rage seems to be Turkey/Türkiye, last year it seemed to be ‘Meelan’ (Milan) phonetically speaking. Wonder if other Countries are doing the same Are England and Britain being used in their indigenous form verbally and written form now? Why some but not others and when do we start calling Paris ‘Paree’ beyond a mock romantic Le Week-End. I tend to doubt it, am also fascinated as to how we deal with spellings and pronunciations we can’t easily handle, could get messy.
Pretty embarassing for the RN.
No ships involved in this.
No Amphibious capability to contribute anymore.
All in all not a good look for Britain (again).
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This is principally a Mediterranean exercise. ENATO has more than enough naval power in the Med, with the French, Italian, Spanish and Turkish fleets, to make the Med an ENATO lake.
We are not a Mediterranean nation. We haven’t got enough warships to meet our own commitments in the North Atlantic, even moreso when the few escorts we have are snatched away to play carrier strike on the other side of the world. I think we can safely leave the Med to others.
That said, we should really have contributed a token warship to the exercise, as we have our interest in Cyprus and of course Suez.
Turkey insists strongly on being referred to as Türkye, especially in English language publications. They don’t like the association with a certain bird, however delicious it can be when prepared properly. It may sound like a joke, but they are serious on this. In Dutch (yes, I’m part of the foreign readership of this site) we use our own demonyms for the United Kingdom and its constituent nations, with the exception of Wales. Most demonyms for cities and rivers have fallen out of use in favour of their indigenous names, notable exceptions are London (Londen) and the river Thames (Theems). They seem to endure.
I wonder how long the Italians and Spanish plan to keep flying Harriers. Must be getting difficult to maintain airworthiness at this point.
US is still flying Harriers too.
Maintenace isn’t praticularly a problem there are lots of older aircraft in service, they will eventually be replaced with F35s or retired (depending on how the politics play out).