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NATO Groups exercise in the Black Sea

BLACK SEA  – Two NATO Groups are participating in Breeze 2018, a Bulgarian-led annual naval exercise, taking place from 13 to 20 July off coast of Bulgaria in the Black Sea region.

BREEZE is designed to enhance the interoperability of the participating units and strengthen cooperation by practicing different warfare techniques in a multi-dimensional scenario. Multinational participating forces and their crews will be tested in a wide range of warfare tactics focusing on regional security.

NATO is participating with two naval groups, Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) which assembled in Burgas, Bulgaria for the harbour phase dedicated to last minute coordination and operational details.

Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) includes the flagship, Dutch frigate HNLMS De Ruyter, Turkish frigate TCG Fatih and Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) is composed of the flagship, German auxiliary FGS Rhein, Turkish minehunter TCG Anamur and Romanian minesweeper ROS Lt Lupu Dinescu.

Exercise Breeze 2018 provides an excellent opportunity for NATO forces to train and build interoperability with additional Allied maritime forces. The groups presence in the Black Sea is part of an overall increased focus on the Black Sea region increasing the presence of the Standing NATO Maritime Groups in the Black Sea from approximately 80 days in 2017 to 120 days planned in 2018.