According to a short news release published at NATO's Allied Maritime Command Naples web site, F-491 TCG Giresun replaces F-245 TCG Oruçreis as the flagship of SNMG-2. Commander Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 has moved to a new flagship. Since 17 June 2011, TCG ORUCREIS has hosted Rear Admiral (LH) Sinan Azmi TOSUN, Turkish Navy,... Continue Reading →
SNMCMG-2 Is In Patras For An Exercise With Greek Navy
Tomorrow NATO's SNMCMG-2 will start a 3 day visit in Patras, Greece. SNMCMG-2 is currently led by Captain Abdulhamit Şener of Turkish Navy. Last month the task force made a visit to Spit, Croatia. Following their departure from Split, the ships of SNMCMG-2, led by the flagship A-579 TCG Cezayirli Gazi Hasanpaşa, conducted underway exercises with... Continue Reading →
TCG Oruçreis, The Only Ship In NATO’s SNMG-2, Takes Part in Exercise Joint Warrior
In July I posted the above photo of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and asked if this was the lamest NATO fleet ever? The answer was "No" as at that time SNMG-1 was made of only one Italian destroyer. Today SNMG-1 has 4 ships. In the mean time, the SNMG-2 has indeed become the lamest NATO fleet.... Continue Reading →
Spanish Port For US Navy’s BMD Ships
Spain agreed to host the ships US Navy is deploying to Mediterranean for NATO’s missile defense system. “Today the [NATO] security partnership takes a major step in the right direction,” Panetta told reports at the briefing. “With four Aegis ships at Rota,” he added, “the alliance is significantly boosting combined naval capabilities in the Mediterranean... Continue Reading →
Both Turkey And Israel Are Taking Part In DANEX / Northern Coasts 2011 Naval Exercise
This is going to be one of the largest NATO naval exercises out side of the Mediterranean. The exercise Northern Coasts (NoCo) was first held in 2007. The aim of the exercise is to prepare participants for potential NATO operations. This year the exercise Northern Coasts is combined with exercise Danex. Consequently, there are also references to current, real... Continue Reading →
TCG Oruçreis Will Take Part In DANEX / Northern Coasts 2011 Naval Exercise
The Turkish frigate F-245 TCG Oruçreis will take part in the DANEX Northern Coasts 2011 naval exercise as the flagship of the NATO's Standing Maritime Group-2. This is one of the largest exercise to be conducted in Denmark, will start on 12th September 2011 and will last till 23rd September. Over 50 warships of different types from... Continue Reading →
TCG Oruçreis In Copenhagen
While the waters in eastern Mediterrean is getting warmer the NATO's second smallest naval task force SNMG-2 ended its visit in Copenhagen, Denmark. The SNMG-2 consisting of the Turkish frigate F-245 TCG Oruçreis (flagship) and the Greek frigate F-464 HS Kanaris set sail from Copenhagen following a short summer dispersal, on Monday 05 September 2011. According to NATO... Continue Reading →
The Lamest NATO Fleet Ever?
One of the NATO's standing naval forces was in Istanbul last week. According to NATO: The Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 is a multinational, integrated maritime force - made up of vessels from various allied nations, training and operating together as a single team. The Group is permanently available to NATO to perform a wide range of... Continue Reading →
Turkey Takes The Helm Of Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2
On 7 July 2011, Captain Adbulhamit Şener, Turkish Navy, relieved Captain Georgios Pelekanakis, Greek Navy, as Commander of the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). According to NATO, during 2010, SNMCMG2 has seen the participation of 19 ships from five contributing nations. The Group sailed 15,000 nautical miles, training and operating as a... Continue Reading →
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 Is Coming To Istanbul
According to Turkish Navy website the NATO SNMG-2, currently led by Turkish Navy will make a visit in Istanbul between 13 - 15 July 2011. Later the task group will proceed to Black Sea and take part in Breeze-11 naval exercise, hosted by Bulgarian Navy. After the command handover on 17 June 2011, SNMG-2 visited Catania, Italy... Continue Reading →
