Six NATO Warships Arrive in Estonia for Exercises Due to Potential Threats
Six ships of the First Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG1) from the UK, Norway, the Netherlands and France have arrived in the Estonian capital Tallinn, ERR reports.
The first to dock in the Estonian capital's Old Port was the British frigate HMS Iron Duke. It happened on Friday.
On Saturday morning, other ships arrived: the group's flagship, the Norwegian headquarters ship HNoMS Maud, the French frigate FS Auvergne, the Dutch frigate HNLMS Van Amstel, the Belgian frigate BNS Louise-Marie, and the patrol ship FS Commandant Blaison. The latter will also take part in NATO's Defence and Allied Force exercise Lightning, which begins next week.
Commodore Ivo Värk, Commander of the Estonian Navy, said that NATO's First Standing Maritime Group is the ‘main punching bag’ of the Alliance's maritime forces.
‘The presence of Allies in Estonia and Estonian waters today is primarily related to the security situation in and around us, NATO's regional defence plans and responding to maritime threats,’ he said.
The last time ships from NATO's First Standing Maritime Group visited Estonia was in April last year, when joint exercises with the Estonian Navy took place.
NATO's Standing Naval Groups are units that are in a state of constant readiness. These groups are capable of conducting operations in both peacetime and wartime and ensure a high level of readiness to respond at all times.