Naval Placing and Help Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) and U.S. Sixth Fleet (SIXTHFLT) commenced Vigilance Exercise Neptune Strike 2022.2 (NEST 22.2) at STRIKFORNATO headquarters in Oeiras, Portugal, October 14. Throughout NEST 22.2, SIXTHFLT will conduct a switch of authority (TOA) of the GHWBCSG to STRIKFORNATO. Whereas underneath STRIKFORNATO command and management, the CSG and different allied items will ship results in Allied Joint Forces Command (JFC) Naples and JFC Brunssum joint working areas (JOAs), demonstrating Alliance cohesion and the flexibility to concurrently function all through European waters. The centerpiece of NEST 22.2 is the George H.W. Bush Service Strike Group (GHWBCSG), which arrived within the Mediterranean Sea in August on a scheduled deployment within the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) space of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and accomplice pursuits.
Allied and accomplice nations scheduled to take part in NEST 22.2 embody Albania, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Türkiye, the UK and the US. NEST 22.2 is the eighth part of NATO’s long-planned Challenge Neptune collection, constructing on earlier phases of the mission together with Neptune Problem in October and November 2021, Neptune Strike in January and February 2022, and Neptune Defend in Might 2022. As in earlier phases of Challenge Neptune, NEST 22.2 brings NATO instructions all through the Alliance collectively to plan and execute multi-domain real-world vigilance actions. Inside the body of Deterrence and Protection of the Euro-Atlantic Space (DDA), this vigilance exercise will enhance interoperability of allied CSGs, STRIKFORNATO, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and the broader Alliance and companions.
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“The Neptune Sequence of peacetime vigilance actions, integrating provider strike and amphibious strike functionality into NATO operations, has change into routine work for this battle employees – producing results within the maritime, air and land domains, offering deterrence and reassurance, and providing highly effective alternatives for Allied interoperability. I’m excited to look at this excellent workforce of execs come collectively once more and show the ability and cohesion of our NATO Alliance,” mentioned Royal Navy Rear Adm. James Morley, STRIKFORNATO’s deputy commander.
“The Neptune collection is a tangible demonstration of the ability and functionality of the NATO Alliance in all area operations. Neptune Strike 22.2 is a chief instance of NATO’s capacity to combine high-end maritime warfare capabilities of an allied provider strike group, guaranteeing our collective capacity to discourage and defend,” mentioned Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee, commander SIXTHFLT and STRIKFORNATO.
Vigilance Actions are a bottom line, or regular day-to-day actions, occurring in all domains, and throughout SACEUR’s space of accountability to make sure applicable strategic consciousness and power readiness required to maintain peace. Throughout deployment workups in June, STRIKFORNATO participated as NATO Headquarters in GHWBCSG’s Composite Coaching Unit Train (COMPTUEX), practising command and management from Oeiras to the strike group on the US’ east coast, marking STRIKFORNATO’s third vignette with allied forces throughout coaching and certification occasions. GHWBCSG’s speedy integration into NATO planning and workout routines early in its deployment exemplifies the worth that these vignettes present to U.S. provider strike teams making ready to deploy, in addition to an illustration of NATO Allies’ capacity to cooperate and combine successfully. STRIKFORNATO, headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal, is Supreme Allied Commander Europe’s (SACEUR) premier, quickly deployable and versatile, maritime energy projection Headquarters, able to planning and executing full spectrum joint maritime operations.
