Courtesy Photo | Operation Active Endeavour: SNMG2 ships refuelling at sea during surge operations. ITS...... read more read more
NAPLES, Italy – Ships of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 are moving to the Eastern Mediterranean to continue surge operations in support of NATO’s anti-terrorist Operation Active Endeavour.
Following intensive operations in the Western and Central Mediterranean in October SNMG2 has been reinforced with additional ships which, along with submarine and air surveillance assets, will ensure sweeping coverage from Crete to the far-eastern reaches of the Mediterranean Sea.
NATO’s determination to deny terrorists any capability for manoeuvre at sea has been reinforced for this surge by the Ukrainian frigate URS Ternopil. This is the fourth time the Ternopil has deployed with OAE and the sixth time in total that a Ukrainian ship has sailed alongside NATO ships in this operation.
Currently commanded by Commodore Michiel B. Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy) the SNMG2 is a multinational, integrated maritime force that forms part of the NATO Response Force.
Operation Active Endeavour was formally begun the 26 October 2001 as a result of NATO implementing Article 5 of the Washington Treaty following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States of America. Its mission is to help deter, defend, disrupt and protect against terrorism in the Mediterranean Sea. It is currently conducted by Vice Admiral Maurizio Gemignani, Italian Navy, as COM Active Endeavour, from Allied Maritime Command Naples.
Building on experience acquired over the years OAE has become largely network-based and has developed a considerable Maritime Situational Awareness through the use of modern tracking and analysis technologies. It also benefits enormously from cooperation with non-NATO contributing nations.
However, surge operations remain an integral part of OAE and are specifically designed to deny terrorists the option of operating in the Mediterranean Sea.
Ships participating in the Eastern Mediterranean Surge operations include:
HNLMS DE ZEVEN PROVINCIËN
TCG BARBAROS
HS THEMISTOKLES
ITS AVIERE
FGS BREMEN
ESPS MARQUES DE LA ENSENADA
ESPS MENDEZ NUNEZ
ITS ESPERO
URS TERNOPIL
ROS REGELE FERDINAND
HS HYDRA
ITS BETTICA
Operations will be supported by NAEW Aircraft (NATO AWACS Boeing 707) and Submarine assets.
| Date Taken: | 11.12.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.12.2010 03:54 |
| Story ID: | 59960 |
| Location: | NAPLES, IT |
| Web Views: | 100 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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