NATO Large-Scale Maritime Exercise Begins in Mediterranean

NATO’s Exercise Dynamic Mariner-Mavi Balina 22 kicked off from Aksaz Naval Base, Türkiye. Dynamic Mariner is a crisis-response exercise, held in conjunction with the Turkish Navy’s Exercise Mavi Balina, which brings together 12 Allied nations off the coast of Türkiye.

Led by NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), the Dynamic Mariner aims to test and demonstrate NATO's Response Force Maritime Component (NRF/M) and interoperability between NATO forces, enhancing flexibility and improving the ability to work together among Allied nations. It runs until 22 September.

The exercise incudes 50 surface units, 5 submarines, 5 air assets (including maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters), 1,500 marines, and personnel from 12 NATO nations – Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Türkiye, and the United States.

The exercise also involves Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2), two of NATO's Standing Naval Forces on active duty that contribute to the Alliance's collective defence on a permanent basis.

“Dynamic Mariner is an incredibly important large-scale maritime exercise,” said MARCOM Deputy Commander French Navy Vice Admiral Didier Piaton. “This year’s event includes more assets than ever before, facilitating increased interoperability between our nations and enhancing operational readiness. We continue to work closely with Türkiye and other Allies and Partners to deter aggression and defend the Alliance.”

Dynamic Mariner-Mavi Balina will include training in specific skillsets to include surface, air, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), mine countermeasures, amphibious, hybrid, and force protection operations.

NATO's maritime strength lies in the ability of the Standing Forces and NATO Response Force (NRF) elements to integrate rapidly with high readiness, high capability national forces and task groups. Regular training between these groups is a force multiplier and provides a collectively trained and interoperable capability that NATO can confidently deploy.

The NRF is a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force that comprises land, air, maritime and Special Operations Forces (SOF) components that the Alliance can deploy quickly, whenever and wherever needed.

Collective defence remains the Alliance's greatest responsibility and deterrence is a core element of NATO's overall strategy – preventing conflict and war, protecting Allies, maintaining freedom of decision and action, and upholding the principles and values it stands for.