NATO warships heading US and Canada for Exercise Maritime Express

Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) forces are en-route to United States and Canada after assembling in Brest, France to start SNMG1’s Maritime Express initiative.

SNMG1 includes the flagship guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101), the Royal Norwegian Navy Fridjof Nansen-class frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl (F-314), the Belgian Navy Karel Doorman-class frigate Leopold I (F930), and the Portuguese Navy frigate NRP Francisco de Almeida (F334).

“The Atlantic, where we will be operating, is heavily important for NATO and SNMG1,” said Commander Senior Grade Alrid Skoge, commanding officer of HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl.

“Our time here as SNMG1 ships is an opportunity to enhance transatlantic unity, upon which we will rely if a crisis occurs.”

NATO say that the four ships will focus heavily on interoperability and building and maintaining readiness forces through a variety of exercises and evolutions.

The ships will also carry out NATO Maritime Command’s new Maritime Express construct, which will open up more opportunities for NATO partners and allies to train together while ‘increasing the flexibility and agility of participating maritime forces’, say NATO.

“By coming together as SNMG1, we will deepen ties with allies and partners while building readiness to respond to any crisis if we are called upon as the maritime element of NATOs Very High Readiness Joint Task Force,” said Rear Adm. Edward Cashman, commander of SNMG1.

“The ability to conduct operations across the North Atlantic demonstrates the inherent flexibility and agility of maritime forces, a flexibility which NATO continues to demonstrate in today’s rapidly changing security environment,” he continued.

“The North Atlantic represents a bridge, a global common that connects the nations of the Alliance, as they are connected by common values and commitment to collective security.”