Exercise Watch: NATO Response Force übt im Mittelmeer

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Im Mittelmeer und teilweise auch im Atlantik läuft in diesen Tagen eine der großen maritimen NATO-Übungen: Mehr als 5.000 Soldaten, 23 Kriegsschiffe aus 14 NATO-Staaten und den Partnernationen Finnland und Schweden, dazu Flugzeuge bis zum B52-Bomber der USA trainieren einen Einsatz der NATO Response Force, der (mehr oder weniger) schnellen Eingreiftruppe des Bündnisses. Die Marineübung ist Teil der Übungsserie Noble Justification, in der die Allianz die Abwehr einer schweren Bedrohung der NATO und ihrer Mitgliedsländer demonstrieren will.

Nach NATO-Angaben sind an der Übung auch deutsche Einheiten beteiligt; leider habe ich bislang nicht herausfinden können, welche. (Auf bundeswehr.de und marine.de ist zu der Übung nichts zu finden; nach der AIS-Lagekarte beim Seefahrer-Blog sind derzeit der Einsatzgruppenversorger Berlin, die Fregatte Niedersachsen und U33 in der Übrungsregion vor der spanischen Südküste).

Aus der Mitteilung des NATO Maritime Command zu Noble Justification:

The Noble Justification prepares and tests the highest levels of readiness for rapid response to any NATO contingency.

It also develops force integration, multinational interoperability and enhances readiness by building joint capability and deployability through a high density, high threat scenario in which NATO responds to a threat to its integrity and the sovereignty of its member states.
The warships will participate in demanding training evolutions that will enable them to respond to crisis situations anywhere in the world at short or no notice. The exercise, which runs through October 26, will involve more than five thousand military and naval personnel from 14 NATO nations: Belgium, Canada, France, Germany , Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States; and 2 partner nations: Finland and Sweden.
Afloat participants will include 23 warships: ten frigates, two amphibious ships, five auxiliary ships and six Mine Countermeasures vessels along with a number of submarines, small units and embarked Marines. Exercise Noble Justification will also include a wide variety of aircraft, including U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The participation of the bombers, which will assist in the exercise’s focus of validating the Spanish Maritime Forces as the 2015 NATO Maritime NRF, aims to strengthen interoperability with NATO allies and demonstrates the United States’ commitment to enhancing regional partnerships. (…)
The first part of the exercise will focus on interoperability training in asymmetric multi-threat and maritime warfare operations. This will help units to be ready to work together for the second phase of the exercise, during which the force will undertake demanding responses within a complicated, crisis response scenario.
“The exercise Noble Justification is a substantial opportunity for NATO to develop force integration, multinational interoperability and enhance readiness, by using of an improved technology” said NATO’s Maritime Commander, Vice Admiral Peter Hudson of the UK Navy. “It exercises a high density, high threat scenario in which NATO responds to a threat to its integrity and the sovereignty of its member states. “ he said.

Und was sagt der Chef dazu?

Nachtrag: Die etwas generische Auskunft des NATO Maritime Command auf die Frage, welche deutschen Einheiten beteiligt sind: 1 frigate assigned to Standing Naval Maritime Group 2 , and 1 Mine countermeasures vessel assigned to Standing Naval Mine counter measures Group 2, 1 Submarine.

(Foto: Das griechische U-Boot S116 Poseidon – Foto NATO)