DYMR21/JW212 is a Maritime Force Integration live exercise and was part of the certification process for the NATO Response Force Maritime Component (NRF/M) for 2022. Created in 2002, the NATO Response Force is a highly ready and technologically advanced, multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and Special Operations Forces components which provides collective defense and rapidly deployable units. It provides a quick response to an emerging crisis as well as peace-support operations, critical infrastructure protection and disaster relief.
To keep our nations safe in an unpredictable world, we need to be constantly exercising and training with realistic scenarios. We do this by working together to ensure we remain ready to respond to any current or future threat.
The exercise took place in the waters off Northwest Scotland, known as the Minch, and UK land and airspace. It brought together 21 surface ships, 1 submarine, 7 maritime patrol aircraft and other air assets as well as personnel, from 12 nations, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.
DYMR21 was led by the NATO Maritime Command in coordination with Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff of Royal Navy.
The exercise also involves Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1), two of NATO's Standing Forces on active duty that contribute to the Alliance's collective defence on a permanent basis.
NATO's maritime strength lies in the ability of the Standing Forces and National Response Force elements to rapidly join with high readiness, high capability national forces and task groups. Regular training between these groups is a force multiplier and provides a collectively trained and interoperable capability that NATO can confidently deploy if necessary.
"Dynamic Mariner was another opportunity to work with allied navies, learn and understand each unit's capabilities and maximize interoperability within the task group," said Commodore Bradley Peats, Commander of SNMG1. "To keep our nations safe in an unpredictable world, we need to be constantly exercising and training with realistic scenarios. We do this by working together to ensure we remain ready to respond to any current or future threat."
The Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) and Allied Worldwide Navigational Information System (AWNIS) organisations participated in the exercise. In order to support the Military Commanders objectives whilst providing consideration to how the merchant shipping industry operates in the region, a Staff Officer NCAGS and a Safety of Navigation Information Coordinator was placed with the United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander for the exercise. Two AWNIS liaison officers embarked with the Mine Counter Measures Force and one with the Netherlands Amphibious Group.
The NATO Shipping Centre, a permanent element of Allied Maritime Command, and NATO's Single Point of Contact with the merchant shipping industry had a number of augmentees from across the nations, in order to provide support and act as an Information Fusion Centre for merchant shipping issues.
A Deployed NCAGS Element (DNE) was set up in Newcastle, hosted by the Royal Navy Reserve Unit HMS CALLIOPE. The DNE briefed merchant shipping in the ports of Tees, Tyne and Blyth on NCAGS, AWNIS, the NATO Shipping Centre, Operation Sea Guardian, and Maritime Security in the Mediterranean. Through these briefings the DNE was able to establish areas of mutual interest with the industry and continue to promote cooperation between military and civil maritime authorities.
Collective defence remains the Alliance's greatest responsibility and deterrence is a core element of NATO's overall strategy – preventing conflict and war, protecting Allies, maintaining freedom of decision and action, and upholding the principles and values it stands for.