NEWS

From Monday 22 to Tuesday 30 November 2021, the multinational Exercise “NIRIIS 21” was held with the participation of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2) and the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG 2), consisting of Naval Units from Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Romania.

Greece participated with 3 Frigates and their organic Helicopters, 5 Submarines, 3 Fast Attack patrol crafts, 1 General Support vessel, 1 Minesweeper, 1 transport vessel, Special Operations crafts, a marine Division of the Special Warfare Command of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) as well as with Hellenic Coast Guard personnel.

Exercise “NIRIIS” is a joint multinational Invitation Exercise (INVITEX) annually coordinated by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, in order to implement fundamental procedures of naval warfare and modern threats in the field of maritime safety.

In addition to the aforementioned forces, Egypt, Bulgaria, and the United Arab Emirates also participated in the Exercise as observers.

During the Exercise, training activities took place both in the Gulf of Crete and at the Center for Naval Prevention (KENAP) as well as in the wider sea area of ​​the North and South Cretan Sea, focusing on all forms of Naval War, with an emphasis on Crisis Response Ops (CRO), Maritime Interdiction Ops (MIO) and Non-Combatant Evacuation Ops (NEO) with the implementation of specialized joint scenarios. NATO forces also participated in the said exercise with the aim to increase the level of operational readiness, combat capability, and cooperation of the participants in an allied context.

Source: HNDGS

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