Home  /  Media Centre  /  News  /  2024  /  NATO strengthens Allied maritime electronic warfare capabilities during Exercise Dynamic Guard in Eastern Med

MEDITERRANEAN SEA – Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) led an electronic warfare and anti-ship missile defence exercise, known as Dynamic Guard, in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Crete in Greece from 2 – 6 September 2024.

Dynamic Guard is designed to provide Allied units with the opportunity to test, train and enhance the techniques required to operate in a degraded or denied electronic warfare environment.

NATO Joint Electronic Warfare Core Staff (JEWCS) supported the exercise, providing specialist knowledge and equipment to generate a realistic electronic warfare scenario.

Nearly 1,000 personnel and ships and aircraft took part, including SNMG2’s ships, comprised of flagship HMCS Charlottetown, along with ESPS Cristobal Colon and TCG Yildirim. German Navy frigate FGS Hamburg participated along with HS Hydra, HS Rhodos, and HS Grigoropoulos from the Hellenic Navy. A British Falcon DA-20 aircraft and Hellenic Air Force F16 Fighting Falcon acted in conjunction with specialist electronic warfare equipment fitted by JEWCS to HS Rhodos to simulate a range of realistic threats against which to test the response of the Allied ships.

NATO warships are equipped with complex sensors and communication equipment, all of which rely on use of the electro-magnetic spectrum to function correctly. The exercise simulated an adversary employing sensors and jammers in both ships and aircraft to detect the Allied ships, degrade their capabilities, and then attack them with anti-ship missiles. The ships in turn had to demonstrate the ability to identify threats, react to the hostile electronic warfare measures, and then defend themselves and the wider task group.

By working together in complex scenarios, we sharpen our strategic agility, refine our tactical skills, and strengthen the bonds of alliance that ensure our collective security