Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 explained

Unit Name:Standing NATO Maritime Group 2
Dates:1992–present
Commander1:Rear Admiral Pasquale Esposito, Italian Navy

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standing maritime immediate reaction force. SNMG2 consists of four to six destroyers and frigates. Its role is to provide NATO with an immediate operational response capability.[1]

History

Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) was activated on 30 April 1992, at Naples, Italy. STANAVFORMED was the successor to the NATO Naval On-Call Force Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED) – which had been periodically activated for more than 20 years.[2]

During the 1990s, STANAVFORMED was heavily involved in Operation Maritime Monitor (July 1992 to November 1992), Operation Maritime Guard (November 1992 to June 1993) and Operation Sharp Guard (June 1993 to October 1996), the maritime embargo operations in the Adriatic Sea established to ensure compliance by Serbia and Montenegro with United Nations (UN) resolutions 713, 715, 787, 820 and 943. Between November 1992 and June 1996 some 74,000 ships were challenged, almost 6,000 were inspected at sea and more than 1,400 were diverted and inspected in port.[3]

On 6 October 2001, STANAVFORMED deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in support of Operation Active Endeavour, NATO's maritime contribution to prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction.[4]

The force was re-designated Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in January 2005.[5]

From June 2009 to August 2009 SNMG2 was deployed by NATO off the Somali coast to conduct Operation Allied Protector, to deter, defend and protect World Food Programme (WFP) vessels against the threat of piracy and armed robbery, thereby allowing WFP to fulfill its mission of providing humanitarian aid.[6]

Since August 2009, SNMG2 has been providing ships for NATO's Operation Ocean Shield anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.[7]

In 2019, SNMG2 was tasked with patrol of the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea.[8] In 2021, SNMG2 took part in Exercise Sea Breeze 2021 in the Black Sea, co-hosted by the Ukrainian Navy and the United States Sixth Fleet.[9] [10]

Current ships

As of 20 January 2024, SNMG2 consists of:[11] [12] [13] Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force

Previous task groups

As of 16 February 2023, SNMG2 consists of:[14] [15] [16] Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force

YearCommanderShipTypePart of task forceFlagship
2023
Rear Admiral
Michael Scott Sciretta
(January – July)

Commodore
Paul Stroude
(July – n/a)
USS James E. WilliamsArleigh Burke-class destroyerJanuary – JulyJanuary – July
ITS Carlo MargottiniBergamini-class frigateJanuary – n/an/a
TCG BarbarosJanuary – n/an/a
HS PsaraJanuary – n/an/a
HMCS FrederictonJanuary – n/an/a
HMS DuncanType 45 DestroyerJuly – n/aJuly – n/a

In 2022, SNMG2 consisted of:[11] Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force

YearCommanderShipTypePart of task forceFlagship
2022

Rear Admiral
Mauro Panebianco
(January – July)

Rear Admiral
Michael Scott Sciretta
(1 July – July 2023)
ITS Carlo MargottiniBergamini-class frigateJanuary – JulyJanuary – July
TCG GöksuJanuary – Apriln/a
FGS LübeckJanuary – 1 Junen/a
ESPS Blas de Lezo22 January – 30 June n/a
FS Auvergne22 February – Mayn/a
HMS TrentFebruary – Marchn/a
HS AegeanMarch – n/a
ITS StromboliMarch – n/a
HMCS MontréalMarch – July n/a
HMS DiamondType 45 destroyerMarch – Apriln/a
TCG Barbaros24 March – 30 Mayn/a
FS Alsace4 April – Mayn/a
ESPS CantabriaReplenishment oiler10 May – 26 June n/a
FS ForbinMay – 16 Junen/a
FGS Bonn29 May – June n/a
TCG Salihreis30 May – Julyn/a
FS Provence16 June – 31 Julyn/a
USS Forrest ShermanArleigh Burke-class destroyer1 July – 13 December1 July – 13 December
TCG Kemalreis1 July – Septembern/a
ITS VulcanoLogistic support ship14 July – 28 Julyn/a
HS KountouriotisKortenaer-class frigate20 July – August n/a
ESPS Almirante Juan de BorbónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate24 July – 6 September n/a
FS Languedoc31 July – 6 September n/a
FGS Bonn16 August – Septembern/a
ITS Antonio MarcegliaBergamini-class frigate21 August – September n/a
ESPS Cristóbal ColónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate13 September – 30 Novembern/a
TCG GemlikG-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a
September – Decembern/a
ITS AlpinoBergamini-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a
USS James E. WilliamsArleigh Burke-class destroyer13 December – July 202313 December – July 2023

In 2021, SNMG2 consisted of:[11]

YearCommanderShipTypePart of task forceFlagship
2021[17]
Rear Admiral
Stefano Russo
ESPS Cristóbal ColónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigateJanuary – MarchJanuary – March
BrandenburgBrandenburg-class frigateJanuary – Februaryn/a
HS MachitisOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – Februaryn/a
HS Simeoforos SimitzopoulosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – Februaryn/a
HS ArmatolosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – February n/a
HS Plotarchis MaridakisOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – Februaryn/a
TCG TürkeliTuzla-class patrol boatJanuary – March
May – August
n/a
PatiñoReplenishment oilerJanuary – Februaryn/a
ITS Virginio FasanCarlo Bergamini-class frigateFebruary – Marchn/a
TCG KemalreisOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatFebruary – Mayn/a
HS KountouriotisKortenaer-class frigateFebruary – Marchn/a
HS NavmachosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatFebruary – Marchn/a
HS XenosFast attack craftFebruary – Marchn/a
HS TolmiAsheville-class gunboatFebruary – Mayn/a
FGS WerraReplenishment oilerFebruary – Augustn/a
TCG KaraburnOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatMarch – Mayn/a
Regina MariaType 22 frigateMarch – Apriln/a
SmeliFrigateMarch – Apriln/a
ESPS Méndez NúñezÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigateApril – AugustApril – August
HS KasosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatMay – Augustn/a
HS AittitosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatMay – Augustn/a
HS DegiannisFast attack craftMay – Augustn/a
FGS LübeckBremen-class frigateMay – Septembern/a
TCG KumkaleTuzla-class patrol boatJune – Augustn/a
HMS KentType 23 frigateJune – Augustn/a
ITS Virginio FasanCarlo Bergamini-class frigateAugust – DecemberAugust – December
ESPS CantabriaReplenishment oilerAugust – Octobern/a
TCG GökçeadaOliver Hazard Perry-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a
FGS SpessartRhön-class tankerSeptember – Decembern/a
ITS Carlo MargottiniCarlo Bergamini-class frigateDecember – July 2022December – July 2022

Organization

SNMG2 is a component of the NATO Response Force (NRF).[18]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maritime Groups. NATO. 20 December 2019.
  2. Web site: Standing Naval Force Mediterranean. Hansard. 20 May 1992. 20 December 2019.
  3. Web site: Operation Sharp Guard. NATO. 20 December 2019.
  4. Web site: Operation Active Endeavour. Global Security. 20 December 2019.
  5. Book: International Order at Sea: How it is challenged. How it is maintained. 136. Jo Inge . Bekkevold. Geoffrey . Till. Palgrave Macmillan. 2016. 978-1137586629.
  6. http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_48815.htm Counter-piracy Operations.
  7. http://www.manw.nato.int/page_operation_ocean_shield.aspx Operation Ocean Shield
  8. News: CANADA HANDS COMMAND OF STANDING NATO MARITIME GROUP TWO TO ITALY . NATO Maritime Command . 16 December 2019.
  9. NATO Allies and Partners Ready for Exercise SEA BREEZE 21 . NATO . 25 June 2023 . 20 January 2023.
  10. Exercise Sea Breeze 2021 Comes to a Close in Black Sea . Lundquist . Edward . Seapower . 13 July 2021 . 20 January 2023.
  11. Web site: Standing NATO Maritime Group Two . NATO: Allied Maritime Command . 2018-07-12.
  12. Web site: SNMG2 . Commander . SNMG2 Twitter. SNMG2 Twitter . 24 May 2022 .
  13. Web site: NATO . Maritime Command . NATO Maritime Command Twitter. NATO Maritime Command Twitter . 24 May 2022 .
  14. Web site: Standing NATO Maritime Group Two . NATO: Allied Maritime Command . 2018-07-12.
  15. Web site: SNMG2 . Commander . SNMG2 Twitter. SNMG2 Twitter . 24 May 2022 .
  16. Web site: NATO . Maritime Command . NATO Maritime Command Twitter. NATO Maritime Command Twitter . 24 May 2022 .
  17. Web site: Rear Admiral Stefano Russo. NATO. 25 March 2022.
  18. Web site: Maritime-Groups. mc.nato.int. 2019-07-01.