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Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO exercises with British Task Group COUGAR following Barcelona port visit

Mediterranean Sea – Following a busy in-port programme in Barcelona, the ships of Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2), with two Sea Lynx helicopters embarked, exercised with the British Task Group COUGAR this week.

While in Barcelona, the staff of SNMG2 focused on preparations for the upcoming at-sea period, while also participating in several meetings with high-ranking political and military leaders and official events for the ships and their crews.  The ships’ crews also spent two days welcoming visitors from the local community aboard for an opportunity to see first-hand a sense of life aboard a NATO warship.

During the port visit, trucks carrying tons of supplies and equipment for the newly embarked helicopter element arrived at the pier, loading equipment aboard by crane.

On Monday, Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 exercised together with British Task Group COUGAR in the waters north of Corsica. During the surface exercise, two British Merlin helicopters practiced warfare tactics with SNMG2 units. One of the Merlins touched down on HAMBURG for a meeting between Commander United Kingdom Task Group, Commodore Martin Connell, and Commander SNMG2 Rear Admiral Jörg Klein.

Following the exercise, SNMG2 resumed contributing to NATO’s counter-terrorism Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR.  Soon the two forces will meet again in Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 2015, the largest and most ambitious NATO exercise in more than a decade.