SNMG2 Commander U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Scott Sciretta transferred his flag, and command and control of his task group from guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) to Kemalreis on Sept. 1 while operating at sea in a demonstration of the Task Group’s interoperability and interchangeability.
Prior to arrival in port, Kemalreis conducted force replenishment-at-sea operations with USNS Kanawha in preparation for Dynamic Mariner/Mavi Balina 22, and achieved all operational commitments in the central and eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Kemalreis and her crew have proven themselves to be an extremely highly-capable warship that sets the standard across our maritime forces
“Kemalreis and her crew have proven themselves to be an extremely highly-capable warship that sets the standard across our maritime forces,” Sciretta said. “She is a model Flagship and is another example of the very robust, interchangeable, and interoperable force we maintain.”
This period at sea marks the end of a successful deployment for Kemalreis spanning more than two months of conducting duties under the NATO flag.
The ability to shift command and control real-time while operating at sea highlights NATO’s ability to provide a high-end, highly capable maritime force that maintains robustness earmarked by interchangeability and interoperability.
“Part of being ready to fight tonight means the Task Group must remain flexible and effective under any circumstances,” Sciretta said. “We once again validated this capability during this underway period under the careful watch of Kemalreis.”
SNMG2 will be a key component of NATO’s Exercise Dynamic Mariner/Mavi Balina 22, a NATO milestone training event and the validation exercise for Commander, Turkish Maritime Forces that integrate maritime assets from 12 Allied nations.
SNMG2 is a multinational integrated task group that projects a constant and visible reminder of the Alliance’s solidarity and cohesion afloat and provides the Alliance with a continuous maritime capability to perform a wide range of tasks, including exercises and real-world operations in periods of crisis and conflict.
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