Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Matthew Stroup | 221123-N-LR347-1001 IONIAN SEA (Nov. 23, 2022) A French Rafale fighter jet prepares to...... read more read more
MEDITERRANEAN SEA - The Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) met with the commanders of three different Allied carrier strike groups (CSG) aboard the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) on Nov. 23 for senior-level maritime discussions.
Commander, SNMG2 U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Scott Sciretta met with U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Dennis Velez, commander, George H.W. Bush CSG (CSG-10); Italian Navy Rear Admiral Vincenzo Montanaro, commander, Italian Maritime Forces and the Italian Carrier Strike Group aboard ITS Cavour (C-550); and French Navy Rear Admiral Christophe Cluzel, commander, French Navy CSG aboard FS Charles de Gaulle (R 91).
The meeting was a unique opportunity for the commanders to share best practices, discuss strategy and plans in the framework of ‘deterence and defence’. The meeting also reflected the level of focus and priority from NATO and Allied nations on the Euro-Atlantic Area.
“Meeting with my fellow maritime commanders to discuss operations and to exploit diversity of thought is powerful,” Sciretta said. “Interoperability of thought enhances our integration as NATO Allies and allows us to deliver the robust operational effects we need in the maritime domain to deter our adversaries and defend the Alliance. Interoperability starts with trust. The trust the four of us commanders share is built on long standing relationships. These relationships underpin our ability to interoperate and interchange forces throughout the theatre.”
“Opportunities for interoperability between forces and CSGs are a testament to the strength of our Alliance,” Montanaro said. “Currently, we have Italian frigates embedded with both the George H.W. Bush and French strike groups participating alongside our Allies in their daily operations, and last month the Italian Navy fully integrated NATO’s Standing Naval Forces Group Two units into our major bi-annual fleet exercise Mare Aperto 22-2. (Carrier Strike Group 10, 2022)”
Sharing information is critical to building a comprehensive picture of maritime operations across the Alliance.
“From the very beginning of our new deployment named ANTARES, we closely operated with Allies and shared a common picture and situation assessment,” said Cluzel. “Multi-carrier operations are demanding and illustrating the very highest level of coordination. Keeping a non-escalatory posture, they enhance our ability to secure wide areas, to deter from any destabilization in the Mediterranean and simultaneously, to reinforce NATO’s deterrence and defense posture on its Eastern flank. (Carrier Strike Group 10, 2022)”
“Displaying the awesome power and lethality the Alliance brings to the fight is one of the surest ways to deter aggression,” said Velez. “We are stronger when we work together, and operations like these highlight not only our interoperability, but our interchangeability with our partner and allies. (Carrier Strike Group 10, 2022)”
SNMG2 and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) are currently operating in the Mediterranean Sea along with the three CSGs. Additionally, the U.S Navy Gerald R. Ford CSG aboard aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and the U.K. Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) are operating in the North Atlantic Ocean and North Sea. Finally, the U.K. Royal Navy’s Littoral Readiness Group led by HMS Albion recently transited from the Eastern Mediterranean into the Ionian Sea. Together, these international maritime forces’ collective presence and capability ensures the Alliance’s defensive readiness at sea.
As a NATO task group, SNMG2 prioritizes its mandate to enhance the collective readiness, responsiveness, deployable readiness, integration and interoperability of its forces. Its focus is on deterrence and defense against all adversaries in the maritime domain, upholding freedom of navigation, securing maritime trade routes and protecting the main lines of communication.
SNMG2 is a multinational integrated task group that projects a constant and visible reminder of the Alliance's solidarity and cohesion afloat. This continuous maritime capability performs a wide range of tasks, including exercises and real-world operations in periods of crisis and conflict.
SNMG2 is one of four Standing Naval Forces that operate under NATO Allied Maritime Command, headquartered in Northwood, United Kingdom. For more news and information on SNMG2, visit https://mc.nato.int/SNMG2 or follow us at:
www.facebook.com/StandingNATOMaritimeGroup2
www.twitter.com/COM_SNMG2
www.instagram.com/snmg_two
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2022 18:35 |
| Story ID: | 435028 |
| Location: | MEDITERRANEAN SEA |
| Hometown: | LONDON, GTL, GB |
| Hometown: | NAPLES, IT |
| Hometown: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Hometown: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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