Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1 (
SNMG1)
is a
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation(NATO) standing
maritime Immediate Reaction Forces. Prior to
1 January 2005 it was known as
Standing Naval Force Atlantic (
STANAVFORLANT).
SNMG1 consists of 6 to 10 destroyers and frigates, with
Canada,
Germany, the
Netherlands, the UK
Royal Navy, and the
United States Navy each contributing 1 ship on a permanent basis. These are joined periodically by ships from
Belgium,
Denmark,
Norway,
Poland,
Portugal, and
Spain. The force operates, trains and exercises as a group, providing day-to-day verification of current NATO maritime procedures, tactics and effectiveness.
Ships are usually attached to the force for up to six months, on a rotating basis. Units of one nation do not necessarily relieve ships of the same nation. The force commander and the staff are appointed for one year, with the force commander rotating among the participating nations. Since January, 23rd 2009, the force is under the command of Contra-Almirante Pereira da Cunha flying his flag in
NRP Álvares Cabral (F-331).
Force
The ships in the force are:
- SPS Blas De Lezo (F-103), Spain
Operations
In peacetime, the force exercises primarily in the eastern
Atlantic.
Allied Command Operations (ACO) has operational command of the force, and the
Commander Allied Maritime Component Command Northwood administers the force while in the Eastern Atlantic. ACO delegates operational control to the area commander where the force is operating. SNMG1 and
SNMG2 rotate responsibility for
Operation Active Endeavour.
The force is currently engaged in Operation Allied Protector as part of the international anti-piracy effort off the
Horn of Africa.
Organization
SNMG1 is a component of the
NATO Response Force (NRF).
History
Established in January 1968, STANAVFORLANT was under the operational control of
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic until that command was decommissioned in
2003. Due to the resulting NATO realignment, STANAVFORLANT fell under the operational control of ACO.
In September 2007, SNMG1 was in the
Red Sea bound for
Suez to complete a
circumnavigation of Africa when the
Jabal al-Tair volcano erupted. SNMG1 ships assisted the
Yemeni coast guard in the recovery of their military personnel stationed on the island.
See also
