Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) is scheduled to arrive in Stockholm today for a port visit.
This port visit is a valuable opportunity to re-supply and for SNMG1 to work together with Sweden to enhance interoperability between partner nations. SNMG1 is currently deployed to the Baltic Sea to “provide assurance to Allies and deter and defend against threats from any direction”.
“SNMG1 flagship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (F802) (The Netherlands), FGS Erfurt (F262) (Germany), HMCS Halifax (FFH 330) (Canada), and FGS Spessart (A1442) (Germany) will join in Stockholm for the port visit. Currently, SNMG1 also comprises FS Latouche-Tréville (D646) (France), which will stay at sea for operations.
Prior to the port visit, SNMG1 conducted a close-air-support exercise (CASEX) with a Swedish Navy submarine in the Baltic Sea. The group trained in anti-submarine warfare, which included fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter operations, and defensive procedures while entering and leaving port.”
This comes after Sweden made moves to join NATO. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced both Sweden and Finland to review long-held beliefs on military neutrality with both countries expected to make a decision in the coming few weeks, read more here.
“NATO gains from Sweden’s insights and operational expertise, and I appreciate the high-level training we regularly conduct with the Swedish Navy,” Commander SNMG1 Commodore A. van de Sande said.
After departure from Stockholm, NATO say that SNMC1 is scheduled to conduct another at-sea exercise with a Swedish Patrol Vessel. Sweden is a close NATO partner, and passing exercises like this are valuable opportunities to work together and build interoperability. NATO values its close partnership with Sweden.
“The Baltic Sea region is of great strategic importance to all bordering nations. Cooperation in the Baltic Sea is of particular interest for NATO, as six Allied nations border the Baltic Sea. NATO deployed maritime forces in the Baltic Sea in order to maintain a credible and capable defensive capability in accordance with treaty obligations.
SNMG1 operates under NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM). Headquartered in Northwood, MARCOM is the central command of all NATO maritime forces and the MARCOM Commander is the primary maritime advisor to the Alliance. Like its land and air counterparts (LANDCOM and AIRCOM), MARCOM reports directly to NATO’s Allied Command Operations (ACO), which is located in Mons, Belgium.”
Certainly a fair bit of power projection and flag showing going on, Putin seems to have woken a sleeping lion just have to make sure the claws are sharpened now in case they are needed. That said hopefully this will help mean they wont be needed, prevention is better than belated risky cure as Ukraine has belatedly shown us.
Was just looking good mix cap capabilities across the ships, 1 thing I noticed nearly ALL of them have at least 8 AshM 🙁 seems we are only maritime nation that doesn’t think the Navy ships need to be able to sink other ships at more than 10miles? (gun)
NSM/JSM at just over 2M a piece (x300 as an example) would be a very useful deterrent over the next ten years plus. Add Marte ER for Typhoon (200) NSM/JSM can be launched from land, sea, or air including the F-35B externally, eventually! https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/archive-world-worldwide-news-air-force-aviation-aerospace-air-military-defence-industry/defense-security-exhibitions-news/air-show-2017/lima-2017-bis/lima-2017-news-coverage-report-bis/3367-kongsberg-s-jsm-missile-to-be-added-to-eurofighter-typhoon-weapons-package.html “The US Marine Corps (USMC) Navy Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) marries the USMC desire to achieve sea denial with its plan to establish a stand-in force within the enemy’s weapons engagement zone, according to Major General Benjamin Watson, USMC commanding general, Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory/Futures Directorate and vice chief, Office of Naval Research.”… Read more »
👍
but the issue is that screams common sense
Claw sharpening on the cards!
Ukraine conflict: Biden seeks USD33 billion in additional Ukraine funding29 APRIL 2022
“The biggest pot of money, USD20.4 billion, would allow the US to continue supplying military equipment to Ukraine’s armed forces, including artillery, armoured vehicles, anti-armour and anti-aircraft weapons, and unmanned aircraft.”
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/industry-headlines/latest/ukraine-conflict-biden-seeks-usd33-billion-in-additional-ukraine-funding
Damn nice of the American taxpayer. Also i noticed that the American taxpayers are reimbursing weapons supplied to Urkraine by some eastern European countries. Everyone onboard the American gravy train! lol
Sea Ceptor has anti-ship capability and the RN’s TLAMs are being upgraded to Block V, giving them anti-ship capability too.
Has it been stated the RN tomahawks are going up to block 5? Do they need recertification for torpedo launch? I don’t know much about the difference about launching from a VLS under water versus torpedo launch under water and if it requires different versions
TLAM Blk V comes in several different versions, Blk VA is the maritime strike capable one. Don’t think we know which version(s) we are upgrading too, but this would undoubtedly be a good choice for the RN.
Because each nation provides a small number of assets at anyone time and the geopolitical stresses that can appear between members, you can forget how much strength there is behind NATO and the fact it is by far the most powerful co-ordinated military power on the planet ( even with all the politics). What the Ukraine Russian War has shown is that for all the differences any perception of a significant threat to Nato members does bring that family of nations into a swift interlinked set of military powers that are in reality pretty much unchallengeable. Russia clearly is floundering… Read more »
Well reasoned post as usual Jonathan. Based on many comments on this site it seems some completely overlook the aggregate power of NATO, even if we exclude N. American contributions and even with the faults and under-investment of many European NATO members to date. Something else struck me wrt the poor performance of the Russian military. Its the thought that perhaps authoritarian and especially dictatorial regimes with a rigid top down decision structure might have an inherent weakness versus a military that trains and enables lower rank initiative, autonomy and decision making. Traits that repressive regimes tend to fear and… Read more »
That’s a really interesting point around the autonomy and decision making in a western army compared to a totalitarian/authoritarian nations armed forces. When you think about it They are infact a direct reflection of those societies as the individual soldiers are products of those society: 1) the democracies encourage and teach freedom of thought and innovation as a core component of its citizens, this then is reflected in the armed forces, which are a products of this society and are bound up as part of that freedom to think and react in the best way to solve an issue and… Read more »
Thought you might enjoy noodling on it.🙂
I think most observers are attributing the 14 Russian General staff killed so far in the Ukraine war to the rigid top-down structure and Russian generals having to lead their units from the frontline in order to install any sense of strategic and tactical direction. Russian army NCOs, Junior officers and mid grade officers up to and including colonel and brigadier grade equivalence are not encouraged to do anything but follow orders coming down from the top. Trouble is plans and orders for advance survive only as long as contact with the enemy. NATO standard NCO and officer training plus… Read more »
Whatever power we have in the Baltic, they could have chosen a closer port to the sea! Beautiful memories from Rīga:Stockholm ferry trips but it took ages to get up that fford!
Hope their next stop is Rīga!
Is this part of the move towards becoming a member of NATO? The rhetoric coming out of Russia, will invariably push both Sweden and more significantly Finland into NATO membership. Russia say they will renege on their deal to allow Finnish shipping to pass through the Saimaa canal and through the port of Vyborg (Viipuri) in the Gulf of Finland. This is a major export route for Finnish wood products. There has been a growing consensus in Finland, wanting the land ceded to the USSR during the Winter War of 1940 to be given back. The city of Vyborg (Viipuri)… Read more »
Russia has long wanted to return Finland to its empire, hence the Winter War. Finland celebrated its 100th anniversary of independence from Russia in 2017 which I can well imagine grated with Putin and his clique.
With only about 5m people and more than 800miles of border with Russia, Finland may well look to NATO but it may turn out to be quite a headache for NATO.
Don’t get me wrong I would support Finland joining NATO but it would not be without risks and downsides.
Cheers CR
Agreed, however, Norway has always had a rather fluid border with Russia up in the high North. I know I went into both Finland and Russia at some point when on exercise up near Kirkenes. It shouldn’t be a major drama, as Murmansk and its nuclear boomer facilities is just over 100km from the Norwegian border. If Finland does become part of NATO. They have a border with Russia, that is around 1500km long. Policing that could be a nightmare, but I’m sure Finland already have that in hand. Would the Royal’s and USMC still be tasked with reinforcing the… Read more »
Yes but you are forgetting the Finns. They are incredibly well trained soldiers, They have a large and highly experienced cadre of reservists and crucially are very, very highly motivated to protect their country. I’d not want to try to invade Finland.
Hi Mr Bell,
I agree with everything you say regarding the Finns and their capabilities.
I was merely pointing out that Finland is a large but sparsely populated country. That combination makes it vulnerable to Russian attack – accepting of course that “General” Putin is in charge and is incompetent, thankfully.
Cheers CR