45 warships of NATO Alliance participate in Joint Warrior Exercise

Europe, News October 9, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

More than 11,000 personnel from NATO countries are participating in the UK-led biannual exercise Joint Warrior from October 1 to 12, to practice defense against the simulated surface and underwater attacks off the coast of the British Isles.

The exercises are being held in Cape Wrath and the Hebrides in the north as well as the North Sea and the western Channel. Around 45 warships, 30 aircraft as well as submarines, sailors, soldiers, and aircrew are taking part in the second Joint Warrior 22 Exercise.

NATO partners including Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and the United States are participating in the UK-led biannual multinational joint and combined exercise.

According to the NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM) statement, “The aim of Joint Warrior 22-2 is to provide a complex environment in which the participants can train together, honing tactics and skills in preparation for deployment as a Combined Joint Task Force.”

Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) are taking part in “task group roles, building upon the solid foundation already achieved by continuous at-sea operations and multinational training exercises,” the MARCOM statement read.

“The scenario for each Joint Warrior is designed to reflect contemporary political tensions to assure maximum preparedness in the face of any threat,” the statement added.

“The exercise tests personnel at every level from the command group to each individual unit, while strengthening interoperability across the maritime, air, and land environments. Participants will train on a variety of competencies, including maritime task force training, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare, air defense, maritime security operations, and media engagement,” MARCOM’s Public Affairs Office highlighted.

*^{NATO Allies participating in UK-led Exercise Joint Warrior 22-2 from October 1 to 12, 2022. (Image Credit: NATO)}*

Commander of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, Commodore Jeanette Morang said that the “Joint Warrior is an excellent high-end training opportunity for NATO’s Standing Naval Forces in all maritime warfare areas.” He further added that “I’m confident SNMG1 performance will add to the value of the exercise and improve their operational effectiveness as a force in a contested environment with a near-peer opponent.”

Commodore Jeanette Morang said that the “Joint Warrior offers SNMG1 a unique opportunity to train in a very realistic and up-to-date scenario. I’m looking forward to proving SMNG1 readiness and maritime capabilities to fight in a demanding multi-threat environment and to demonstrate NATO Standing Forces preparedness.”

SNMG1 and SNMCMG1 are multinational integrated task groups that provide NATO with a continuous maritime capability to perform a wide range of tasks, including exercises and real-world operations in periods of crisis and conflict.

SNMG1 currently comprises Royal Netherlands Navy flagship HNLMS Tromp, German Navy FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Royal Norwegian Navy HNoMS Roald Amundsen, and auxiliary vessel HNoMS Maud, while the French Navy FS Somme will also join SNMG1 to provide exercise support.

SNMCMG1 comprises German Navy FGS Mosel, FGS Homburg, HMCS Kingston, HMCS Summerside, HMS Hurworth, LNS Kursis, FS Pegase and BNS Bellis. Last month, the SNMCMG1 participated in NATO’s Dynamic Messenger 22 Exercise in Portugal.