Ships, submarines, aircraft, special operations forces and personnel from multiple Allied nations participated in NATO’s anti-submarine warfare exercise "Dynamic Manta 25". The exercise took place in the central Mediterranean Sea.
This year’s exercise saw the participation of multiple NATO nations, each contributing advanced naval assets, including submarines, frigates, destroyers, maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters. These forces worked together in a complex environment, sharing intelligence and refining tactics to enhance the Alliance’s collective defence capabilities.
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) played a vital role in the exercise. "The Undersea domain continues to pose significant challenges for surface combatants," said the Task Group Commander, Turkish Navy Admiral H. Ilker Avci. "To overcome these challenges, Dynamic Manta serials present great opportunities for exercising advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) tactics which require the joint efforts of surface units, Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), helicopters and friendly submarines.”
Participating units conducted a variety of exercise serials, including extensive tactical communication and maneuvering drills. Submarines took turns hunting and evading, closely coordinating their efforts with the air and maritime surface units.
Special Operations Forces (SOF) added another layer of complexity to the exercise.
Submarines enjoy a special relationship with SOF, and Greek SOF conducted a daring boarding operation on an Italian submarine – testing their skills in maritime interdiction and undersea warfare.
By fostering increased proficiency and interoperability among member nations, the exercise underscored the Alliance’s readiness to address evolving security challenges in the maritime environment.
The exercise involved 9 surface ships, 13 aircraft, and more than 1600 sailors from 11 NATO nations – Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.
MARCOM is the central command of all NATO maritime forces and the MARCOM Commander is the primary maritime advisor to the Alliance.
Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM