Spain leads Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1)

 Rear Admiral Ruiz Escagedo assumes command of the group for the next three months during a ceremony held at the Dutch naval base in Den Helder.

Spain has assumed leadership of NATO Standing Naval Group One (SNMG1) following the appointment ceremony for Spanish Rear Admiral Joaquín Ruiz Escagedo.

The ceremony took place on board the Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS Johan de Witt and was presided over by the Deputy Commander of NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), French Navy Vice Admiral Ludovic Poitou. The ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Chief of Staff Operations at MARCOM, Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Van Zanten, and the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Joint Operations Command, Vice Admiral Núñez de Prado.

Commodore Arjen Warnaar of the Royal Netherlands Navy, who led SNMG1 aboard the Dutch ship HNLMS Van Amstel during 2025, formally handed command to his Spanish successor, who will serve as commander of SNMG1 from the frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón. Rear Admiral Ruiz Escagedo will lead a multinational staff integrated by military personnel from Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

During the ceremony, Rear Admiral Ruiz Escagedo highlighted the importance of cooperation among Allies and stated that “it is an honour to assume command of SNMG1 for the second time. Cooperation among NATO Allies is essential to ensure regional stability and maritime security.”

Over the next three months, the frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón will serve as the flagship of one of the Alliance’s main standing naval forces. Its primary mission is to ensure NATO’s naval presence, deterrence and maritime response capability in key strategic areas.

Following the ceremony, the crew of the frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón received the visit of the Spanish Ambassador to the Netherlands, Consuelo Femenía Guardiola. The Ambassador was welcomed on board by Rear Admiral Ruiz Escagedo, who briefed her on the missions and tasks of SNMG1, as well as on the ship’s capabilities and the work carried out by the deployed personnel, highlighting Spain’s contribution to Allied maritime security.

Spain in NATO Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1)

NATO Standing Naval Forces (SNF), which include two Standing Naval Groups (SNMG) and two Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Groups (SNMCMG), provide NATO with a continuous maritime presence.

SNMG1 operates under MARCOM command with the aim of maintaining a permanent maritime presence and providing immediate response capability in the event of potential crises, as well as strengthening collective defence, deterrence and maritime security in key areas such as the North Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

This deployment reinforces Spain's and the Navy's commitment to the Alliance, as well as our solidarity with other NATO member countries. It supports deterrence and collective defence at sea and from the sea.

The frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón, under the command of Commander Miguel A. Romero Contreras, contributes to the group with more than 220 personnel, including the ship’s crew, an Embarked Air Unit from the 10th Aircraft Squadron, a Marine Corps Security Operations Team, and specialised personnel, including a medical officer and an embarked air traffic controller.