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.[1]

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2
Active1992–present
AllegianceNATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Commanders
Current
commander
Rear Admiral Pasquale Esposito, Italian Navy

History

Portuguese frigate NRP Corte Real and Turkish frigate TCG Gelibolu, participating in SNMG-2 during Phoenix Express (PE 08).

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.[2]

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.[3]

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.[4]

The force was re-designated Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in January 2005.[5]

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.[6]

Since August 2009, SNMG2 has been providing ships for NATO's Operation Ocean Shield anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.[7]

In 2019, SNMG2 was tasked with patrol of the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea.[8] 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.[9][10]

Current ships

As of 20 January 2024, SNMG2 consists of:[11][12][13]

  Previous flagship
  Current flagship

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force

YearCommanderShipTypePart of task forceFlagship
2024
Rear Admiral
Pasquale Esposito
(January – ongoing)
ITS Carlo BergaminiCarlo Bergamini-class destroyerJanuary – ongoingJanuary – ongoing

Previous task groups

As of 16 February 2023, SNMG2 consists of:[11][12][13]

  Previous flagship
  Current flagship

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force

YearCommanderShipTypePart of task forceFlagship
2023
Rear Admiral
Michael Scott Sciretta
(January – July)

Commodore
Paul Stroude
(July – n/a)
USS James E. WilliamsArleigh Burke-class destroyerJanuary – JulyJanuary – July
ITS Carlo MargottiniBergamini-class frigateJanuary – n/an/a
TCG BarbarosBarbaros-class frigateJanuary – n/an/a
HS PsaraHydra-class frigateJanuary – n/an/a
HMCS FrederictonHalifax-class frigateJanuary – n/an/a
HMS DuncanType 45 DestroyerJuly – n/aJuly – n/a

In 2022, SNMG2 consisted of:[11]

  Previous flagship
  Current flagship

Ships in bold are currently part of the naval force

YearCommanderShipTypePart of task forceFlagship
2022

Rear Admiral
Mauro Panebianco
(January – July)

Rear Admiral
Michael Scott Sciretta
(1 July – July 2023)
ITS Carlo MargottiniBergamini-class frigateJanuary – JulyJanuary – July
TCG GöksuOliver Hazard Perry-class frigateJanuary – Apriln/a
FGS LübeckBremen-class frigateJanuary – 1 Junen/a
ESPS Blas de LezoÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate22 January – 30 Junen/a
FS AuvergneAquitaine-class frigate22 February – Mayn/a
HMS TrentRiver-class offshore patrol vesselFebruary – Marchn/a
HS AegeanElli-class frigateMarch –n/a
ITS StromboliStromboli-class replenishment oilerMarch –n/a
HMCS MontréalHalifax-class frigateMarch – Julyn/a
HMS DiamondType 45 destroyerMarch – Apriln/a
TCG BarbarosBarbaros-class frigate24 March – 30 Mayn/a
FS AlsaceAquitaine-class frigate4 April – Mayn/a
ESPS CantabriaReplenishment oiler10 May – 26 Junen/a
FS ForbinHorizon-class frigateMay – 16 Junen/a
FGS BonnBerlin-class replenishment ship29 May – Junen/a
TCG SalihreisBarbaros-class frigate30 May – Julyn/a
FS ProvenceAquitaine-class frigate16 June – 31 Julyn/a
USS Forrest ShermanArleigh Burke-class destroyer1 July – 13 December1 July – 13 December
TCG KemalreisBarbaros-class frigate1 July – Septembern/a
ITS VulcanoLogistic support ship14 July – 28 Julyn/a
HS KountouriotisKortenaer-class frigate20 July – Augustn/a
ESPS Almirante Juan de BorbónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate24 July – 6 Septembern/a
FS LanguedocAquitaine-class frigate31 July – 6 Septembern/a
FGS BonnBerlin-class replenishment ship16 August – Septembern/a
ITS Antonio MarcegliaBergamini-class frigate21 August – Septembern/a
ESPS Cristóbal ColónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate13 September – 30 Novembern/a
TCG GemlikG-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a
FS ProvenceAquitaine-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a
ITS AlpinoBergamini-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a
USS James E. WilliamsArleigh Burke-class destroyer13 December – July 202313 December – July 2023

In 2021, SNMG2 consisted of:[11]

  Was a flagship at any time during its deployment
YearCommanderShipTypePart of task forceFlagship
2021[14]
Rear Admiral
Stefano Russo
ESPS Cristóbal ColónÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigateJanuary – MarchJanuary – March
BrandenburgBrandenburg-class frigateJanuary – Februaryn/a
HS MachitisOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – Februaryn/a
HS Simeoforos SimitzopoulosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – Februaryn/a
HS ArmatolosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – Februaryn/a
HS Plotarchis MaridakisOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatJanuary – Februaryn/a
TCG TürkeliTuzla-class patrol boatJanuary – March
May – August
n/a
PatiñoReplenishment oilerJanuary – Februaryn/a
ITS Virginio FasanCarlo Bergamini-class frigateFebruary – Marchn/a
TCG KemalreisOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatFebruary – Mayn/a
HS KountouriotisKortenaer-class frigateFebruary – Marchn/a
HS NavmachosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatFebruary – Marchn/a
HS XenosFast attack craftFebruary – Marchn/a
HS TolmiAsheville-class gunboatFebruary – Mayn/a
FGS WerraReplenishment oilerFebruary – Augustn/a
TCG KaraburnOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatMarch – Mayn/a
Regina MariaType 22 frigateMarch – Apriln/a
SmeliFrigateMarch – Apriln/a
ESPS Méndez NúñezÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigateApril – AugustApril – August
HS KasosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatMay – Augustn/a
HS AittitosOsprey HSY-56A-class gunboatMay – Augustn/a
HS DegiannisFast attack craftMay – Augustn/a
FGS LübeckBremen-class frigateMay – Septembern/a
TCG KumkaleTuzla-class patrol boatJune – Augustn/a
HMS KentType 23 frigateJune – Augustn/a
ITS Virginio FasanCarlo Bergamini-class frigateAugust – DecemberAugust – December
ESPS CantabriaReplenishment oilerAugust – Octobern/a
TCG GökçeadaOliver Hazard Perry-class frigateSeptember – Decembern/a
FGS SpessartRhön-class tankerSeptember – Decembern/a
ITS Carlo MargottiniCarlo Bergamini-class frigateDecember – July 2022December – July 2022

Organization

SNMG2 is a component of the NATO Response Force (NRF).[15]

See also

References