Background
On 12 September 2001 NATO implemented Article 5 of the
Washington Treaty following the 11 September attacks against the United
States. Following US requests, NATO subsequently agreed to implement 8
specific measures to expand the options available in the campaign against
terrorism. These measures included the deployment of elements of NATO’s
Standing Naval Forces to the Eastern Mediterranean in order to provide a
NATO presence and demonstrate resolve.
The NATO Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR formally began on 26
October 2001, when the activation order was issued. However, patrolling in
the Eastern Mediterranean had already started on 6 October, when the
Standing NATOl Response Force Maritime Group 2 was dispatched to conduct
maritime presence operations in support of the international campaign
against terrorism.
For the first time in NATO's history, Alliance assets
have been deployed in support of Article 5 operations. NATO has contributed
five Airborne Warning and Control Systems aircraft (AWACS) to the United
States and has also deployed elements of its Standing Naval Forces to the
Eastern Mediterranean. AWACS provide air surveillance and early warning
capability by transmitting data to command and control centres on land, sea
or in the air. The naval assets of Standing NATO Response Force Maritime
Group 2 (SNMG2), which were participating in Exercise Destined Glory 2001
off the southern coast of Spain, were re-assigned in order to provide an
immediate NATO military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
All current information about
Operation Active Endeavour can be found at this
link
.