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Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 participates in CONTEX/PHIBEX15

ATLANTIC OCEAN - Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) is participating in Exercise CONTEX/PHIBEX15 (CTX/PHI 15), a Portuguese Navy-led joint, multinational maritime exercise designed to enhance flexibility and interoperability.

CONTEX/PHIBEX15, which runs through the end of the week, involves the training of naval forces supporting amphibious operations in a highly demanding and complex scenario. The exercise involves 20 surface vessels from Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain, Germany and France, a Portuguese submarine and fixed and rotary wing aircraft units from ESPS JUAN CARLOS I and the Portuguese Air Force.  SNMG1 participants are the flagship NRP D. FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA and HNLMS TROMP under the command of Rear Admiral Alberto Correia (PRT Navy).  Portuguese and Spanish Marines are also participating, raising the total number of exercise personnel to 4000.

"CTX/PHI15 is a challenging exercise, divided in two different phases, Force Integration Training (FIT) and a tactical phase respectively”, said Rear Admiral Correia. "The first phase consists of a serialized program, offering a complete training package in a number of warfare areas such as anti-surface, anti-submarine and anti-asymmetric warfare.    During the second phase, the force will feature a scenario involving a fictitious unstable country, with Portugal being tasked with creating the necessary security conditions with the support of NATO Allies.”

Amphibious and Maritime Interdiction Operations will take place during the second phase of CTX/PHI, demonstrating the level of proficiency, capability and interoperability to plan and execute advanced operations in a collective defence context.

"In line with the Assurance Measures implemented by NATO, this exercise is focused on enhancing readiness and responsiveness among Allied members and also an excellent opportunity for us to strengthen interoperability between units and different HQ’s,” said Rear Admiral Correia.  ”The Alliance is implementing the greatest change in its approach to collective defence since NATO’s inception. Our motivations are defensive and focused on the protection of Alliance members.”

SNMG1 is one of the NATO’s four Standing Naval Forces, multinational integrated forces that project a constant and visible reminder of the Alliance’s solidarity and cohesion on the world’s seaways. This Group provides NATO a continuous maritime capability for operations and other activities in peacetime and periods of crisis and conflict. An immediate maritime response to an emerging crisis or maritime operational requirement may be provided by the Standing Naval Force (SNF) under the command of the Allied Maritime Command, based in Northwood, UK.