Source: MARCOM – NATO Allied Maritime Command – Story by Cmdr. Fernando Estrella – SNMG2 Conducts Operations With George H W Bush Carrier Strike Group in Adriatic Sea 

SOUDA BAY, Crete – Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) resumed vigilance activities on Tuesday, April 25th in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea after a port visit in Souda Bay, Greece. Prior to the port call, SNMG2 and its flagship, USS JAMES E WILLIAMS (DDG 95), along with HMCS FREDERICTON (FFH 337) and ITS PAOLO THAON DI REVEL (P430) completed a period of robust surveillance activities throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and Syrian Channel. Additionally, they operated in the Adriatic Sea with the GEORGE H W BUSH Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG). As SNMG2 returns to operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, two of its units, HMCS FREDERICTON and ITS THAON DI REVEL, have sailed west to participate in Exercise Mare Aperto 2023, hosted by the Italian Navy, in the Tyrrhenian and Central Mediterranean Sea.

“Our ability to disaggregate the task group and integrate with high-value multinational units such as the carrier strike group is what makes our task group effective at establishing deterrence in the strategic maritime waterways of the Mediterranean” said U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Scott Sciretta, Commander of SNMG2. “Additionally, the capabilities and operational readiness of our Allied ships in the task group enables us to fulfill our other responsibilities in the Central Mediterranean Sea while we remain here. That’s the strength of the NATO Alliance!”

As a NATO task group, SNMG2 prioritizes its mandate to enhance the collective readiness, responsiveness, deployable readiness, integration and interoperability of its forces. Its focus is on deterrence and defense against all adversaries in the maritime domain, upholding freedom of navigation, securing maritime trade routes and protecting the main sea lines of communication connecting the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.

Photos ©  Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class R. Ezekiel Duran, U.S. Navy 

 

Opening Photo © Petty Officer 3rd Class Mariella A. Gonzales, U.S. Navy

 

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