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Standing NATO Maritime Groups Participate in Greek-led Exercise NIRIIS 2017

MEDITERRANEAN – Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) and Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) are participating in the Greek-led maritime exercise NIRIIS 2017 just off the coast of Crete in the southern Aegean Sea.

SNMCMG2 consisting of flagship Royal Navy ship HMS Enterprise, Turkish minehunter TCG Alanya, Bulgarian minesweeper BGS Shkval, Italian mine hunter ITS Crotone, Royal Navy mine hunter HMS Pembroke and Hellenic Navy mine hunter HS Evrop and SNMG2 flagship Royal Navy assault ship HMS Ocean join US and Royal Marines, Israeli Navy units, Greek frigates, submarines, Marines, an Army parachute division and Greek Air Force aircraft to conduct this multinational exercise focused on maritime security. 

Based on a fictitious scenario the exercise aims to train participating personnel to deal with modern maritime threats whilst supporting security at sea and conducting evacuations of civilian populations.   The exercise began with Greek and Royal Marines disembarking their respective ships to conduct reconnaissance ashore prior to assaulting designated targets on the coast.  This complex set of tasks required careful coordination by multinational forces across land, sea and air and provided a valuable training opportunity for all participating nations.  The ongoing exercise contributes to interoperability across Allied and Partner nations and allows NATO units to test and validate concepts, procedures, systems and tactics.