NATO Standing Naval Forces

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 assets asigned 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. 1 Frigate for a period of six months as a command ship.
2. 1 AOR for a period of two months.

• SNMCMG-2

1. 1 minesweeper for two six-week periods.
2. From June 2021 to January 2022, BAM 'Rayo' is scheduled to be deployed as SNMCMG-2 flagship.
3. From January 2022 to June 2022, BAM 'Meteoro' is scheduled to be deployed as SNMCMG-2 flagship.

2021

• June 25th. BAM 'Rayo' sets off from the port of Cartagena as SNMCMG-2 flagship.
• June 22nd. BAM 'Rayo' begins its task as SNMCMG-2 flagship.
• June 22nd. Frigate 'Méndez Núñez' returns to the port of Cartagena, ending its task as SNMCMG-2 flagship.
• April 20th. Mine hunter 'Tajo' completes its integration within the SNMCMG-2.
• March 26th. Spanish CHOD visits frigate 'Méndez Núñez', SNMG-2 flaship, at the Romanian port of Constanza.
• March 22nd. Spanish frigate 'Méndez Núñez' takes over from frigate 'Cristóbal Colón' as SNMG-2 flagship.
• February 25th. NATO kicks off its most important naval exercise in the Mediterranean, 'Dynamic Manta' 2021. Spanish frigate 'Cristóbal Colón' acts as SNMG-2 flagship.
• February 19th. Spanish minehunter 'Tajo' is integrated into the NATO naval group SNMCMG-2. The integration ceremony took place in the port of Tuzla (Turkey).
• January 9th. Frigate 'Cristóbal Colón' sets off from its home port in Ferrol to resume its misión as SNMG2's flagship.

2020

• December 18th. Frigate 'Cristóbal Colón', SNMG2's flagship returns to its home port in Ferrol for 'winter dispersal'.
• 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 mine hunter 'TAMBRE' begins its integration into the Standing Nato Mine Countermeasures Group 2.

2019

• December 11. BAC 'Patiño' ends its participation within Standing NATO Maritime Group 2.
• November 22. Frigate 'BLAS DE LEZO' ends its integration into SNMG-2.
• August 27. Frigate 'BLAS DE LEZO' joins NSNMG-2.
• March 1. Minehunter 'Tajo' 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).