Spain Deploys Amphibious Capability on the Black Sea Coast

•  The Marine Infantry Detachment, part of the NATO Multinational Battleroup in Romania, is participating in the 'Sea Shield 25' exercise.

The Marine Infantry Detachment, part of the NATO Multinational Battleroup in Romania, is participating in the 'Sea Shield 25' exercise.

The Spanish Marine Infantry Mechanized Tactical Subgroup, integrated into the NATO Multinational Battle Group in Romania (MN BG ROU), has moved to the Black Sea coast to participate as an amphibious unit in the multinational 'Sea Shield 25' exercise, which is taking place in maritime, fluvial, and land environments.

During the exercise, Spanish and Romanian units have carried out amphibious operations, both on the Black Sea coastline and within the Danube River system. Spanish troops, alongside the 307th Romanian Marine Infantry Regiment, have practiced various naval training manoeuvres to enhance their combined response capabilities in such operational scenarios.

After more than five months operating as a land force at the Romanian base in Cincu, the Marine Infantry contingent demonstrated its amphibious capabilities within the 'Sea Shield 25' framework. The activities of the Spanish contingent focused on operations in both land and aquatic environments, including amphibious landings, personnel projection via inflatable boats, and live fire exercises on land targets from a naval platform.

Furthermore, on land, Spanish Marines and their Romanian counterparts conducted shooting drills, tactical exercises, as well as cross-training and cohesion activities. 

Overall, the participation of the Spanish Marine Infantry detachment in the 'Sea Shield 25' exercise has strengthened their naval training, while also enhancing interoperability with allied forces and reaffirming their capacity for integration into multinational operations. This reinforces Spain’s commitment to collective defence and security on NATO’s eastern flank.

‘Sea Shield 2025’ Exercise

The Romanian Navy is leading the multinational ‘Sea Shield 25’ exercise, the largest naval training event organised in the country for 2025, taking place from March 31st  to April 11th. 

Approximately 2,300 military personnel are participating, with more than 1,600 Romanians and around 500 personnel from 11 allied countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States, and Turkiye.

Land Deployment on the Eastern Flank - Romania

The Multinational Battlegroup in Romania is one of eight similar units deployed along NATO’s eastern flank to contribute to deterrence and defence in the region. The activities conducted are similar to those carried out by Spanish Armed Forces deployed in Latvia and Slovakia. These include exercises within the unit itself, as well as those integrated into the Multinational Battlegroup led by France, alongside cooperation with the Romanian Armed Forces.

During the 2016 Warsaw Summit, the need to reinforce ‘deterrence’ was highlighted as a key tool to ensure the protection of allied territory on the Eastern Flank. Later, at the 2022 Madrid Summit, NATO recognised Collective Defence as the primary priority in the new Strategic Concept of the Atlantic Alliance (NATO).

At the Madrid summit, it was agreed to expand to eight Multinational Battlegroups (MN BG) deployed on the Eastern Flank. All these Battlegroups will have the capacity to expand to the level of a Multinational Brigade (MN BDE). 

Until September 2024, Spain’s contribution of forces to these multinational units is realised through the MN BGs in Latvia and Slovakia, with the addition of a Marine Infantry Tactical Subgroup to the MN BG in Romania.