NATO ships take part in French Navy Mine Warfare Exercise Olives Noire 24

Exercise Olives Noires is a Multinational Mine Warefare Exercise hosted by the French Navy, which develops and improves operational readiness and interoperability between Allies. Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) took part between April 8 – 19, in the maritime area south of Toulon and Sete, France.

During the exercise, ships practised securing freedom of navigation via multinational cooperation in mine warfare operations.  The exercise drew from the current real-world situation, where naval mines present a substantial threat to maritime security and to the global maritime economy.

Participants conducted a variety of mine warfare activities, in a simulated multi-threat environment. They included mine detection and clearance operations; diving in shallow water (SW) operations, to recover dummy mines and also to collect data about the maritime environment and the seabed; countermine improvised explosive devices; remote operation vehicle deployments.

Additionally, SNMCMG2 conducted a logistic stop in Toulon Naval Base, fostering its relationship and interoperability with France.

SNMCMG2 is made up of the Hellenic flagship HS Heracles (A-472), the minehunters ESPS Segura (M-31) (Spain), TCG Amasra (M-266) (Turkiye), ITS Chioggia (M-5560) (Italy), HS Evropi (M-62) (Greece), and FS Capricorne (M-653) (France).

SNMCMG2 operates under Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), headquartered in Northwood, United Kingdom. MARCOM is the central command of all NATO maritime forces and the MARCOM commander is the primary maritime advisor to the Alliance.

SNMCMG 2 is an essential part of the maritime component of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), providing continuous maritime MCM capabilities to execute NATO missions across the whole area of responsibility. SNMCMG 2 is a high readiness force in deterrence and defence roles able to maintain constantly a balanced, proportionate, and credible defensive posture.