The seven ships of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 have convened to conduct combined training and operations in the Mediterranean over the past week.
The multinational task group is comprised of the United Kingdom’s HMS Duncan, ESPS Méndez Núñez and ESPS Patiño from Spain, ITS Margottini of Italy, FS Surcouf of France, FGS Frankfurt Am Main from Germany and Turkey’s TCG Yavuz.
Royal Navy Cmdr. Paul Stroude leads the almost 1,500 personnel that make up SNMG2.
During the first half of October, the task group carried out high-intensity integration scenarios that tested the ships’ tactical communications, air defense, surface warfare, live gunnery, maneuvering and replenishment-at-sea capabilities.
In one exercise, HMS Duncan, ESPS Méndez Núñez and FS Surcouf demonstrated replenishment-at-sea by providing fuel to two ships and facilitating personnel transfer via helicopter.
SNMG2 operates a fleet of five helicopters, each equipped with sensors and weapon systems to counter threats below and above the water.
“Each nation brings its own capabilities and unique strengths to the group,” Stroude said. “The opportunity to train together so as to be able to understand and maximize these attributes while reinforcing our common tactics and procedures is vital to maintaining the interoperability of these NATO ships.”