The Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) has been in Malta on a four-day visit since last Friday and SNMG2 Rear Admiral (LH) Sinan Ertugrul yesterday invited members of the press on board the flagship, the Turkish Navy Ship TCG Salihreis where the unit’s mission in the Mediterranean was explained.
SNMG2 is a naval force made up of vessels from various allied nations, training and operating together as a collective whole under the Commander of the Component Command Maritime Naples (Mar-COM Naples), currently Vice Admiral Roberto Cesaretti.
Rear Admiral Ertugrul said that their visit to Malta was a chance to better get to know the culture and people, besides having time to conduct their official programme.
Although Malta has recently re-joined the Partnership for Peace programme, the SNMG2 visit had been planned well ahead and was not in relation to this. The Commander explained that Malta is an important nation in the Mediterranean, hence the unit’s visit to Malta.
When not required for specific NATO Response Force events, the unit conducts defence diplomacy port visits in order to keep a continuous NATO maritime presence and provide day-to-day verification of current naval procedures, tactics and effectiveness.
SNMG2 carries out a continuous programme of operational training and conducts port visits to know and get known in many ports in and out of the Mediterranean, in NATO and non-NATO nations. These include ports in nations which are part of the Partnership for Peace and Mediterranean Dialogue programmes.
Nations normally contributing to the force are Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States. Other NATO nations have also occasionally contributed. The SNMG2 involves 1,300-1,400 crew members as part of NATO’s four Standing Maritime Elements: The destroyers and frigates SNMG1 and SNMG2, and minehunters and minesweepers SNMCMG1 and SNMCMG2.
Asked whether the group participated in policymaking talks with the government, Commander Ertugrul replied, “Although every level of communication is very important for NATO, it is nations themselves who set up their own policies”. Commander Ertugrul also believes that the Maltese Armed Forces are very efficient in their operations.