North Atlantic Ocean Strategy:NATO'S Dynamic Mongoose 22

NATO has announced that an iteration of its premier anti-submarine warfare drills,Dynamic Mongoose 22,will commence on 13 June.Maritime forces from nine NATO Allies will take part:Canada,Denmark,France,Germany,the Netherlands,Norway,Portugal,the UK and the US.Vessels will include three submarines;11 surface warships;and 16 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.The annual wargames provide complex,realistic and challenging warfighting drills to enhance proficiency in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare disciplines in a context of safe operations.Submarines will take turns hunting and being hunted in coordination with air and surface combatants.The exercise will also demonstrate the readiness and mobility of the maritime element of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF),the spearhead of the NATO Response Force.According to Commander,Submarines NATO,Rear Admiral Stephen Mack,USN,the drils will enhance teamwork and improve knowledge of the operating area,the expansive waters of the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap between Iceland and Norway.* The maritime warfighters will practise Anti-Access/Area Denial operations in the GIUK Gap,flexing critical skills at closing the Gap to naval forces from adversaries such as Russia and China.Indeed,the NATO maritime forces had assembled at Reykjavik,Iceland on 9 June.The exercise will thus consist of conducting sea control/sea denial-related naval tasks in preparation for future collective defence and crisis response operations,NATO noted.*

Building Undersea Warfare Capacity:Sub Group 2 Re-established

On 30 September 2019,in response to re-emergent great power competition, the US Navy re-established Commander,Sub Group 2 in Norfolk, Virginia.It had been dis-established in August 2014.According to the Navy,SUBGRU 2 is aimed at:
Enhancing the Navy's capacity to command and control its Undersea Warfare forces seamlessly across the entire Atlantic area, from the Eastern Seaboard of the United States to the Barents Sea, and even into the South Atlantic,if the need arises.*
VADM Charles Richard, Commander of Submarine Forces, said that:
The security environment continues to grow more challenging and complex in the North Atlantic.To maintain America's undersea superiority, we must increase naval power and our readiness for high-end blue water warfare.How we're organized to command that employment will be a driving factor in our success-that's why we're re-establishing Sub Group 2 today.*
Commander, SUBGRU 2 RADM James Waters:
We will prepare forces to control the undersea domain through rigorous competitive training, and a thorough understanding of our adversaries and the environment where we both operate.Further, we will innovate and advance the art of theater anti-submarine warfare through complex fleet exercises and war games.*
SUBGRU 2 is capable of operating as an embedded Commander ,Task Force within Commander ,U.S. 2nd Fleet when it is activated as a Maritime Command Element.*
ADM Christopher Grady, Commander,U.S. Fleet Forces Command,told SUBGRU 2 that:
You must understand that winning decisively in a potential "Fourth Battle of the Atlantic" should be your guiding vision.The best way to prevent a fight is to be prepared to win decisively should anyone threaten us.We believe in power for peace.*

Dynamic Manta 2019:NATO Tests Naval Skillset Off Italian Coastline

On 25 February 2019,NATO began a major naval exercise off the Sicilian coast, Dynamic Manta 2019.Ten Allies have been evaluating and improving their naval warfighting skills: Canada; France; Germany; Greece; Italy;the Netherlands; Spain; Turkey; the UK; and the US.
According to RDM Andrew Lennon, US Navy,Commander, Submarines NATO (COMSUBNATO ):
This exercise is a unique opportunity to enhance naval forces' warfighting skills in all three dimensions of anti-submarine warfare in a multinational and multi-threat environment.*
Nine surface ships,five submarines,six maritime patrol aircraft and two helicopters are participating in the drills.Each surface ship will conduct a variety of ASW operations; while the submarines will take turns hunting and being hunted, in close coordination with air and surface assets, said NATO Allied Maritime Command.
In one drill,a helicopter from Canadian frigate HMCS Toronto flew over Spanish submarine ESPS Tramorana at low altitude in an ASW demo.*
The aim of the ten-day exercise in the central Ionian Sea is to provide all participants with complex and challenging warfare training to enhance their interoperability and proficiency in ASW and anti-surface warfare skills,NATO said.*
The drills were supported by host nation Italy from Sigonella Air Base, Navy Helicopter Base Catania,and Augusta Naval Base.*
In the course of the drills,real time and detailed analysis of the individual units' performance has been provided by ASW experts based at Sigonella.This In-Stride Debriefing Team (IDT) will strengthen the coordination of procedures and operations between Allied forces in a context of multiple threats.

Facing Up to Hostile Submarines:NATO Commences Wargames in Ionian Sea

NATO's Dynamic Manta 2018 is currently underway in the Ionian Sea,which is an arm of the Mediterranean between Italy and Greece.The exercise is to improve warfighting skills,interoperability and readiness.Running from 5-16 March,it is described by NATO as being a high-end multinational exercise designed to sharpen existing NATO Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) skills in the Mediterranean Sea.Ten Allies are taking part:Belgium;Canada;France;Germany;Greece;Italy;Spain;Turkey;the UK;and the US.*
Five thousand Sailors and Airmen will be under three NATO Command Elements,crewing and supporting 10 helicopters;10 Maritime Patrol Aircraft;9 surface ships;and 6 submarines.Each surface ship will be eligible to conduct a range of submarine warfare operations.The submarines will alternate being hunters and the hunted,in coordination with the air and surface forces.
Rear Admiral Andrew Lennon,US Navy,is Commander Submarines NATO and Officer Conducting the Exercise (OCE):
Our Allied Sailors study and work hard to develop their undersea abilities.Dynamic Manta will give our airborne,surface and submarine teams a valuable chance to test themselves under complex scenarios.I'm very excited to be back in Sicily and so grateful to Italy for hosting us.*
Practicing together in a pure environment,the drills provide simultaneously the ability to evaluate and further develop Allied Anti-Submarine tactics.
Commodore Andreas Vettos of the Hellenic Navy is Commander Maritime Air NATO:
As Anti-Submarine Warfare includes all three dimensions,special attention needs to be placed upon ASW from the air.Because of this,it is important for aircrews from various NATO nations to come and train together in this truly challenging environment.*
DM 18 is based at Augusta Naval Base;Catania Harbour;and Sigonella Air Base,Sicily.

North Sea:Interlocking Drills Test Norwegian Navy and its NATO Allies - Updated 1 March 2018

For the past few weeks,Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 has been participating in the Royal Norwegian Navy Exercise TG 18-1.Some 14 ships and submarines arrived in Bergen,Norway to initiate TG 18-1 in support of training and qualifying the RNN's new submarine commanders.The drills also aim to sharpen warfighting skills under rugged Nordic wintry conditions.
At the same time,TG 18-1 is being integrated with NATO exercise Dynamic Guard,which emphasises air defence and electronic warfare.The electronic warfare component of the challenge links TG 18-1 to Dynamic Guardian and treats the interception,jamming and emission of radar signals for defensive and deceptive applications.Maritime air defence involves naval helicopters and fixed wing patrol aircraft searching for and destroying enemy submarines.The maritime drills are being staged in the North Sea as well as fjords near Bergen.The 14 vessels include SNMG1'S current flagship,Royal Danish Navy frigate HDMS Niels Juel,and Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St.John's and the French FREMM multi-mission frigate Provence.Besides Norway,Denmark and Canada,other participating Allies include:France,Germany,Poland,the Netherlands and Spain,plus NATO partner Australia.A total of 5,000 Sailors and 14 frigates have been taking part in the sophisticated tests,such as trying to block a submarine from entering a fjord from the North Sea. *
As well as the warships,helicopters and other aircraft are joining the exercises.The complex multinational drills extend into Dynamic Guard,where interoperability is increased at both the unit-to-unit and the task force level.The conditons have been rough,with seas generating waves of 5-6 meters at times.Nonetheless,the tasks are executed to sustain high interoperability and readiness among the Allies-STRONGER TOGETHER.*
The commander of SNMG1 is Commodore Soren Thinggard Larsen,Royal Danish Navy.He ensures that,as a member of the NATO Reaction Force,SNMG1 trains at a high operational level to meet the very high readiness requirements,always with a view to reaching the capability to respond promptly in times of crisis and conflict.

Undersea Warfare:US Navy Submarine Forces' ICEX 2016

On 2 March,the US Navy began constructing Ice Camp SARGO on an ice floe in the Arctic Ocean to support Ice Exercise 2016.The five-week drills are researching,testing and evaluating operational capabilities of the Navy's Submarine Forces in the Arctic region.*
ICEX allows us to assess our operational readiness in the Arctic;increase our experience in the region;develop partnerships and collaborative efforts;and advance our understanding of the Arctic environment,according to Vice Admiral Joseph E. Tofalo,Commander,Submarine Forces.The Arctic environment plays a key role in national defence.With over 1,000 miles of Arctic coastline,the US has strong national security and homeland defence interests in the region,VADM Tofalo pointed out.*
The Navy's San Diego-based Arctic Submarine Laboratory is coordinating,planning and executing ICEX,which has over 200 participants from four countries.Participating besides the US are Canada,the UK and Norway.It involves complex testing,demonstration and evaluation efforts that promote and align with broader Navy,DOD and national objectives in the Arctic,said ASL Director Larry Estrada.*
Ice Camp SARGO has shelters,a command center and the infrastructure to support more than 70 personnel at one time.It is named for the USS Sargo (SSN 583),which became in 1960 the first submarine to conduct a winter transit of the Bering Strait,and a subsequent North Pole surfacing.*
Navy Submarine Forces conduct Arctic under-ice operations in support of inter-fleet transit;training;cooperative allied engagement and operations,and have done so for over 50 years.*
Two US Navy Los Angeles-class fast attack submarines arrived at Ice Camp SARGO on 14 March.The USS Hartford (SSN 768) and USS Hampton (SSN 767),from Groton,Connecticut and San Diego,respectively,will conduct multiple arctic transits;North Pole surfacing;scientific data collection;and other training evolutions.*
These submarine operations provide the necessary training to maintain a working knowledge of an extremely challenging region that is very different from any other ocean in the world,said Commander Scott Luers,ice camp officer-in-tactical-command and deputy director of operations for Commander Submarine Forces,Norfolk.Navigating,communicating and manoeuvering are all different in an arctic environment as there are surfaces both above and below a submarine,CDR Luers explained.*
ICEX 2016 is our continued commitment to the development of undersea warfare capabilities and tactics in all areas of the world,said Rear Admiral Jeff Trussler,Commander,Undersea Warfighting Development Center.Our superiority in delivery effects in and from the undersea domain to operational commanders is dependent on the regular exercise and demonstration of these capabilities,RADM Trussler noted.*
The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarines,a product of General Dynamics Electric Boat Division,have a mission of anti-submarine warfare and land attack.They have a complement of 16 officers and 127 enlisted.Considered the current backbone of the Submarine Forces,there are 41 of them in service,the newest 30 of which have VLS tubes for Tomahawk cruise missiles,as well as tubes for Mk 48 torpedoes.The newest 23 of the boats,including the USS Hartford and USS Hampton,are modified for under-ice operations,being configured and strengthened for ice-surfacing.*
General Dynamics (GD)

Navy Deploys New P8-A Aircraft to Tense Region

The US Navy has made the first deployment of its new P-8A Poseidon Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft,or MMA,to Kadena Air Base,Okinawa,Japan.Two of the large,combat-ready reconaissance warplanes took off from Norfolk,Virginia recently,headed into a very tense East Asian theatre of operations.In light of China's new Air Defence Identification Zone over the East China Sea,the aircraft are now most welcome by Japan,a country that almost kicked the US out of Okinawa a few years ago.*
The Navy took delivery of the 12th P8-A on 31 October.It is a modified Boeing 737-800 ERX,featuring a fully connected,state of the art open architecture mission system that,combined with the next generation sensors and highly reliable airframe will dramatically improve Anti-Submarine and Anti-Surface Warfare capabilties.The nine-person crew will have at its disposal an internal,five-station weapons bay;4 wing pylons and 2 centerline pylons;a rotary reloadable,pneumatically controlled sonobuoy launcher;and a Net Ready suite of Link-11/Link-16,Internet Protocol,Common Data Link(CDL) that is FORCEnet compliant.*
The P8-A is armed with joint attack munitions;cruise missiles;mines;and torpedoes.The Open Mission System Architecture is a reconfigurable and expandable system facilitating easier,more affordable upgrades.*
The P-8A Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft secures the Navy's future in long-range maritime patrol capability.It provides more combat capability from a smaller force and less infrastructure,while focusing on worldwide responsiveness and interoperability with both traditional manned forces and evolving unmanned sensors.*
The P-8 is a true multi-mission platform,according to Rear Admiral Matt Carter,Patrol and Reconaissance commander.The number of submarines in the world is increasing rapidly.Other countries are either building or purchasing advanced,quiet and extremely hard to find submarines and we need to be able to match that technology to be able to detect them.*
Boeing(BA)