Standing NATO Maritime Group 2

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standing maritime immediate reaction force. SNMG2 consists of four to six destroyers and frigates. Its role is to provide NATO with an immediate operational response capability.

History

Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) was activated on 30 April 1992, at Naples, Italy. STANAVFORMED was the successor to the NATO Naval On-Call Force Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED) – which had been periodically activated for more than 20 years.

During the 1990s, STANAVFORMED was heavily involved in Operation Maritime Monitor (July 1992 to November 1992), Operation Maritime Guard (November 1992 to June 1993) and Operation Sharp Guard (June 1993 to October 1996), the maritime embargo operations in the Adriatic Sea established to ensure compliance by Serbia and Montenegro with United Nations (UN) resolutions 713, 715, 787, 820 and 943. Between November 1992 and June 1996 some 74,000 ships were challenged, almost 6,000 were inspected at sea and more than 1,400 were diverted and inspected in port.

On 6 October 2001, STANAVFORMED deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in support of Operation Active Endeavour, NATO's maritime contribution to prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction.

The force was re-designated Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in January 2005.

From June 2009 to August 2009 SNMG2 was deployed by NATO off the Somali coast to conduct Operation Allied Protector, to deter, defend and protect World Food Programme (WFP) vessels against the threat of piracy and armed robbery, thereby allowing WFP to fulfill its mission of providing humanitarian aid.Counter-piracy Operations. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Retrieved: 27 December 2013.

Since August 2009, SNMG2 has been providing ships for NATO's Operation Ocean Shield anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.Operation Ocean Shield

In 2019, SNMG2 was tasked with patrol of the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. In 2021, SNMG2 took part in Exercise Sea Breeze 2021 in the Black Sea, co-hosted by the Ukrainian Navy and the United States Sixth Fleet.

Current ships In 2026, SNMG2 consisted of:

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force Year Commander Ship Type Part of task force Flagship 2026 Rear Admiral Cristian Nardone(January 1 – June 29)Commodore Georgios Kypriotis(June 29 – ongoing) ITS Virginio Fasan Carlo Bergamini-class frigate January – June January – June HS Limnos Elli class frigate January - unknown n/a HS Guépratte La Fayette-class frigate unknown - unknown n/a HS Kountouriotis Kortenaer-class frigate June – ongoing June – ongoing FGS Berlin Berlin-class replenishment oiler unknown - ongoing n/a ITS Raimondo Montecuccoli Thaon di Revel-class patrol vessel unknown - ongoing n/a

Previous task groups In 2025, SNMG2 consisted of:

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force Year Commander Ship Type Part of task force Flagship 2025 Rear Admiral H. Ilker Avci(January – 4 July)Rear Admiral Francesco Iavazzo(4 July – 31 December) TCG Kemalreis Barbaros-class-class frigate January – July January – July ITS Carlo Bergamini Carlo Bergamini-class destroyerJuly – DecemberJuly – December HMCS St. John'sHalifax-class frigateJuly – Decembern/a ESPS CantabriaReplenishment oilerunknown – unknownn/a

In 2024, SNMG2 consisted of:

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force Year Commander Ship Type Part of task force Flagship 2024 Rear Admiral Pasquale Esposito(January – 1 July) CommodoreMatthew Coates(1 July – 3 December)Rear Admiral H. Ilker Avci(3 December – ongoing) ITS Carlo Bergamini Carlo Bergamini-class destroyer January – n/a January – n/a HMCS Charlottetown1 July – 3 December1 July – 3 December ESPS Cristóbal ColónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate1 July – 3 Decembern/a TCG YıldırımYavuz-class frigate1 July – 3 Decembern/a TCG Kemalreis Barbaros-class-class frigate 3 December – ongoing 3 December – ongoing

In 2023, SNMG2 consisted of:

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force Year Commander Ship Type Part of task force Flagship 2023 Rear Admiral Michael Scott Sciretta (January – July)CommodorePaul Stroude(July – 7 December) Rear Admiral Pasquale Esposito(7 December – n/a) USS James E. Williams Arleigh Burke-class destroyer January – July January – July ITS Carlo Margottini Bergamini-class frigate January – n/a n/a TCG Barbaros January – n/a n/a HS Psara January – n/a n/a HMCS Fredericton January – n/a n/a HMS DuncanType 45 DestroyerJuly – 7 DecemberJuly – 7 December ITS Carlo Bergamini Carlo Bergamini-class destroyer 7 December – n/a 7 December – n/a

In 2022, SNMG2 consisted of:

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force Year Commander Ship Type Part of task force Flagship 2022 Rear Admiral Mauro Panebianco (January – July)Rear Admiral Michael Scott Sciretta (1 July – July 2023) ITS Carlo Margottini Bergamini-class frigate January – July January – July TCG Göksu January – April n/a FGS Lübeck January – 1 June n/a ESPS Blas de Lezo 22 January – 30 June n/a FS Auvergne 22 February – May n/a HMS Trent February – March n/a HS Aegean March – n/a ITS Stromboli March – n/a HMCS Montréal March – July n/a HMS Diamond Type 45 destroyer March – April n/a TCG Barbaros 24 March – 30 May n/a FS Alsace 4 April – May n/a ESPS Cantabria Replenishment oiler 10 May – 26 June n/a FS Forbin May – 16 June n/a FGS Bonn 29 May – June n/a TCG Salihreis30 May – Julyn/a FS Provence16 June – 31 Julyn/a USS Forrest Sherman Arleigh Burke-class destroyer 1 July – 13 December 1 July – 13 December TCG Kemalreis1 July – Septembern/a ITS VulcanoLogistic support ship14 July – 28 Julyn/a HS KountouriotisKortenaer-class frigate20 July – August n/a ESPS Almirante Juan de Borbón Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate 24 July – 6 September n/a FS Languedoc31 July – 6 September n/a FGS Bonn16 August – Septembern/a ITS Antonio MarcegliaBergamini-class frigate21 August – September n/a ESPS Cristóbal ColónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate13 September – 30 Novembern/a TCG GemlikG-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a FS Provence September – Decembern/a ITS AlpinoBergamini-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a USS James E. Williams Arleigh Burke-class destroyer 13 December – July 2023 13 December – July 2023

In 2021, SNMG2 consisted of:

Year Commander Ship Type Part of task force Flagship 2021 Rear AdmiralStefano Russo ESPS Cristóbal Colón Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate January – March January – March Brandenburg Brandenburg-class frigate January – February n/a HS Machitis Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat January – February n/a HS Simeoforos Simitzopoulos Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat January – February n/a HS Armatolos Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat January – February n/a HS Plotarchis Maridakis Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat January – February n/a TCG Türkeli Tuzla-class patrol boat January – MarchMay – August n/a Patiño Replenishment oiler January – February n/a ITS Virginio Fasan Carlo Bergamini-class frigate February – March n/a TCG Kemalreis Barbaros-class-class frigate February – May n/a HS Kountouriotis Kortenaer-class frigate February – March n/a HS Navmachos Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat February – March n/a HS Xenos Fast attack craft February – March n/a HS Tolmi Asheville-class gunboat February – May n/a FGS Werra Replenishment oiler February – August n/a TCG Karaburn Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat March – May n/a Regina Maria Type 22 frigate March – April n/a Smeli Frigate March – April n/a ESPS Méndez Núñez Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate April – August April – August HS Kasos Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat May – August n/a HS Aittitos Osprey HSY-56A-class gunboat May – August n/a HS Degiannis Fast attack craft May – August n/a FGS Lübeck Bremen-class frigate May – September n/a TCG Kumkale Tuzla-class patrol boat June – August n/a HMS Kent Type 23 frigate June – August n/a ITS Virginio Fasan Carlo Bergamini-class frigate August – December August – December ESPS Cantabria Replenishment oiler August – October n/a TCG Gökçeada Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate September – December n/a FGS Spessart Rhön-class tanker September – December n/a ITS Carlo Margottini Carlo Bergamini-class frigate December – July 2022 December – July 2022

Organization SNMG2 is a component of the NATO Response Force (NRF).

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2

Bron en licentie