Three NATO ships conducted a successful passing exercise with two Japanese ships in the Eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday (14 August 2024).
The ships HMCS Charlottetown and TCG Gaziantep from the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), along with ROS Vice Admiral Constantin Balescu from Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2), conducted the exercises with JS Kashima and JS Shimakaze from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Training Squadron.
A passing exercise allows Allied and Partner navies to develop and maintain mariner skills and strengthen interoperability. During the operation, the ships conducted a wide range of activities from manoeuvring exercises to communications drills.
Sailors from HMCS Charlottetown, ROS Balescu and JS Kashima visited each other's ships in a cross-deck exercise.
"The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has a longstanding relationship with NATO when it comes to Maritime Security. We are seeing more and more that the Indo-Pacific is important for NATO, given that developments in that region can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security," said Royal Canadian Navy Commodore Matthew Coates, Commander of SNMG2.
"Exercising with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Eastern Mediterranean is a fantastic representation of the interconnectedness between NATO and Japan. These exercises allow us to improve interoperability not only with Alliance members but also our international partners," he added.
Beyond partnerships, routine exercises at sea between Allied and Partner nations enhance readiness and the ability to operate effectively together.
"The successful conduct of the PASSEX (passing exercise) with our esteemed Japanese counterparts and Alliance members epitomises our unwavering commitment to maritime security and operational excellence," said Romanian Navy Captain Sebastian Barote, Commander of SNMCMG2.
"This exercise highlights the critical importance of keeping cooperation with our Partners at the highest level. We have to benefit from any training opportunities with our Partners and enhance our ability to operate together effectively and ensure we are always ready to protect global maritime routes. Our commitment to preserving the freedom of navigation and addressing potential threats is vital for maintaining stability and security in our region," he said.
SNMG2 is a multinational, integrated maritime force made up of vessels from Allied nations to perform various tasks ranging from exercises to the support of operations.
They also help to establish Alliance presence, demonstrate solidarity, conduct routine diplomatic visits to different countries, support Partner engagement and provide a variety of maritime military capabilities to ongoing operations.
The other participating group, called SNMCMG2 is a multinational naval force dedicated to mine countermeasures (MCM), comprising state-of-the-art minehunters and minesweepers. These specialized vessels are at the forefront of maritime safety, executing complex operations to detect, identify and neutralize naval mines and explosive ordnance, ensuring the secure passage of naval and commercial vessels.
