The Royal Navy has assumed command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 following a handover ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base.
Commodore Maryla Ingham has taken the helm of the task group from Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Joaquín Ruiz Escagedo, who led SNMG1 through a four-month deployment that saw the group operate across the Baltic Sea and, for the first time in its history, the Arctic.
Royal Navy Vice Admiral Robert Pedre, Commander of Allied Maritime Command, presided over the ceremony on 10 April.
Under Spanish command, SNMG1 conducted sustained operations as part of Baltic Sentry, maintaining a persistent naval presence in the Baltic Sea focused on monitoring critical sea lanes and protecting undersea infrastructure including pipelines and cables. The group also deployed in support of Arctic Sentry, NATO’s high-vigilance mission in the High North, in what was described as a significant milestone for the task group.
The task group participated in several major exercises during the Spanish-led deployment, including Dynamic Mariner 2026, Steadfast Dart 2026, Cold Response, and Arctic Dolphin. These involved integrated air and missile defence, anti-submarine warfare, live-fire serials, and support for amphibious operations in both temperate and extreme cold-weather conditions alongside French, German, and Spanish forces.
Rear Admiral Escagedo said: “Collaboration between our nations is essential to ensure regional stability, strengthen NATO’s deterrence, and maintain security across the Baltic and Arctic regions.”
He added: “The Spanish Navy, through its active participation in SNMG1, plays a key role in these efforts, contributing to maritime security, reinforcing NATO’s deterrence posture, and demonstrating our firm commitment to collective defence in the region.”
Commodore Ingham and her staff will command the task group from the German frigate FGS Sachsen, pairing British maritime leadership with one of the German Navy’s most capable air defence vessels. She said: “I am delighted to formally assume command of the task force. Embarking with the Royal Navy Battle Staff in Sachsen, we look forward to working closely alongside our Allies to support our common goals.”
SNMG1 is one of four standing NATO maritime groups providing continuous naval presence and readiness across peacetime, crisis, and conflict.
Utterly embarrassing, now we need the German Navy to go to sea on. What a joke.
The Germans drive on the right.
Just saying like.
Command but no ships. 61,000 civil servants in MOD for just 12 frigates and destroyers and 150 FJ. The £3bn costs on top of nuclear and pensions and AFG resettlement no wonder there’s no money for conventional. Conventional spend should be ring fenced
You’re right, we should go back to having expensive, hard to recruit military personnel doing typing and laundry.
Much better system
😀