NATO Standing Naval Forces
The Standing Naval Forces are under the control of NATO Allied Maritime Command which responds to Allied Command Operations.
They are comprised of the Standing NATO Maritime Groups 1 and 2, and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Groups 1 and 2.
This multinational, integrated force is continuously available to perform tasks ranging from participating to exercises to conducting NATO missions. These forces are part of the maritime component of the NATO Response Force.
The NATO Standing Naval Forces (SNFs), including the Standing NATO Maritime Groups (SNMGs) and the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures (SNMCMGs), are the forces in charge of providing NATO with a standing maritime presence.
They act as the main element for the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF-M) of the Alliance, being the first forces to be activated, even before a crisis is declared.
The main areas of operation are the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Baltic, the Northern Flank and the Southern Corridor (from the Strait of Hormuz to the Suez Canal, including the coast of Somalia).
The Military Planning Directive of 2017 includes among the operational situations for the action of the Joint Force (JF), the contribution to deterrence, which involves "actions of advanced presence and contribution to the Response Forces in the field of NATO and EU".
The mission of the assets aasigned to NATO by Spain is to conduct the deployment, withdrawal and coordination on support of the naval forces in the NATO groups (SNF) and to monitor the activities and operations carried out by the transferred forces.
The planned Spanish contribution is as follows:
- SNMG-2
- 1 Frigate for a period of six months as a command ship.
- 1 AOR for a period of two months.
- SNMCMG-2
- 1 minesweeper for two six-week periods.
2020
- November 26th. The combat replenishment vessel (BAC in Spanish) ‘Patiño’ completed its integration into the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) after two months of international deployment.
- November 13th. Spanish Frigate ‘Cristobal Colón’ joins SNMG2 and takes over from Frigate ‘Alvaro de Bazán’ as flagship
- November 10th. Mine hunter 'Duero' completed the integration in SNMCMG-2
- September 25th. Replenishment ship (BAC in Spanish) "Patiño" joins the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2).
- September 20th. Mine hunter 'Duero' departs from Cartagena to join SNMCMG-2. The deployment will end in November.
- September 19th. Fleet Replenishment Ship "Patiño" departs from Ferrol to join SNMG-2.
- August 14th. NATO´s SNMG2 Command Ship arrives in Rota Naval Base.
- August 7th. Mine-hunter “Tambre” returns to Spain after being deployed within the SNMCMG-2.
- July 23rd. Frigate ‘Álvaro de Bazán’ supports 'USS Porter' on a medical evacuation.
- July 1st. NATO’s Standing Naval Group 2 (SNMG-2), HOTO ceremony has taken place in Rota. Captain Manuel Aguirre Aldereguía has taken over from Italian Admiral Paolo Fantoni.
- June 14th. Spanish minehunter 'TAMBRE' begins its integration into the Standing Nato Mine Countermeasures Group 2.
2019
- December 11. BAC ‘Patiño’ ended its participation in Standing NATO Maritime Group N. 2
- November 22. Frigate 'BLAS DE LEZO' ends its integration into the SNMG-2.
- August 27. Frigate 'BLAS DE LEZO' joins the SNMG-2.
- March 1. "Tajo" Minehunter (MHC) is integrated into the operation.
2018
- September 14. ‘Turia’ minehunter, will be incorporated into the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group no. 2 (SNMCMG-2).
- August 25. 'Cristóbal Colón' frigate departs from Ferrol to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG-2), where it will remain until December.
- February 25. 'Victoria' frigate departs from Rota to be integrated into the Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG-2) for the next three months.
- February 15. 'Segura' minehunter joins the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group no. 2 (SNMCMG-2) for the next three months.
2017
- April 3. 'Reina Sofía' frigate is integrated into the SNMG-1 in Plymouth (UK).
- April 1. 'Tajo' minehunter replaces 'Duero' in SNMCMG-2.
- March 5. Handover/takeover (HOTO) between 'Almirante Juan de Borbón' frigate and 'Méndez Núñez' frigate as command ship at the Port of Tarento (Italy). “Patiño” supply-class fast combat support ship is incorporated.
- January 29. Ship Captain Rubén Rodríguez Peña takes command of the SNMG-2 in Istanbul.
- January 28. 'Duero' is incorporated into the SNMCMG-2 in La Spezia (Italy).
EMAD PRESS RELEASES ON NATO Standing Naval Forces
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Frigate "Cristóbal Colón" takes part in exercise ZEST 20
Frigate "Cristóbal Colón" takes part in exercise ZEST 20
2020/12/01Mediterranean Sea
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Vessel “Patiño” completes its integration into the Standing NATO Maritime 2
Vessel “Patiño” completes its integration into the Standing NATO Maritime 2
2020/11/27Mediterranean Sea
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Vessel “Patiño” sets off from the port of Souda along with the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2
Vessel “Patiño” sets off from the port of Souda along with the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2
2020/11/17Mediterranean Sea
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Spanish Frigate “Cristobal Colón” joins Standing NATO Maritime Group 2
Spanish Frigate “Cristobal Colón” joins Standing NATO Maritime Group 2
2020/11/13Souda, Greece
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Minehunter ‘Duero’ completes its integration into the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group Two (SNMCMG-2)
Minehunter ‘Duero’ completes its integration into the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group Two (SNMCMG-2)
2020/11/10Mediterranean Sea
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