History of Standing NATO
Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1)
SNMG1 is a multinational,
integrated maritime force consisting of vessels from the various
alliance nations, training and operating together as a single team.
The Force is permanently assigned to NATO and can perform a wide range
of tasks including participating in exercises, crisis response, and
real-world operational missions. Usually the Force is employed in the
Eastern Atlantic
area; however, can deploy anywhere NATO requires.
Composition of the Force varies as naval units are provided by the
contributing NATO nations on a rotational four-to-six month basis while
Command of the Force rotates annually among them. COM SNMG1 currently is
Rear-Admiral José
Domingos
Pereira
da Cunha,
Portugese Navy.
He reports to the Commander of Allied Maritime Component Command
Northwood, one of the Component Commands assigned to Joint Force Command
Brunssum.
Nations routinely contributing to the Force are
Germany,
Netherlands,
Spain,
Portugal,
United States,
Canada,
Norway
and
Denmark.
Other NATO nations occasionally also contribute ships to SNMG1.
SNMG1 carries out an exciting programme of
operational training and port visits in NATO’s area of operations to
both NATO and non-NATO nations. These include visits to nations that are
part of the Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue and the
Istanbul Cooperation Initiative programmes.
Mission
NATO's Immediate Reaction Forces provide a continuous presence and thus
are a constant and visible reminder of the solidarity and cohesiveness
of the Alliance.
NATO has four permanent standing groups: the two Standing Maritime
Groups (SNMGs) and another two Standing Maritime Mine Countermeasure
Groups (SNMCMGs). The Groups provide the
Alliance
with a continuous maritime capability for NATO Response Force (NRF)
operations, non-NRF operations and other activities in peacetime and
periods of crisis and conflict. The primary role of these Forces, as
standing elements of their respective NRF, is the full integration and
participation in the NRF, providing maritime support to operations.
Other missions that are applicable to both SNMGs and SNMCMGs include
establishing Alliance
presence, demonstrating solidarity, conducting routine diplomatic visits
to member, partner and non NATO countries, supporting transformation and
providing a variety of maritime military capabilities to ongoing
missions.
Background
The Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) is a unique naval entity. It
is the first active, permanent international naval squadron ever formed.
Its roots go back to 1960, when it was proposed that a NATO
Anti-Submarine Warfare Task Group be formed.
In early 1965, Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States
responded to this proposal by each committing one ship for a five-month
series of exercises entitled MATCHMAKER I. When this proved successful,
it was followed by MATCHMAKER II in 1966 and MATCHMAKER III in 1967.
By mid-December 1967, the success of the MATCHMAKER squadron led to the
approval of the permanent Standing Naval Forces Atlantic by the Defence
Planning Committee of the North Atlantic Council. The Supreme Allied
Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) was authorised to activate and operate the
force shortly afterwards.
STANAVFORLANT came into being on 13 January
1968 in a short ceremony at
Portland,
UK.
Initial participants included HMS BRIGHTON, HNLMS HOLLAND, HNOMS NARVIK
and USS HOLDER, augmented in March 1968 by HMCS GATINEAU and FGS KÖLN.
On January 1st,
2005 the force was renamed to Standing NATO Response Force Maritime
Group 1 (SNMG1) to reflect the integration into the NATO Response Force
and further renamed to Standing NATO Maritime Group One.
Operations
Following the North Atlantic Council’s decision to implement Article 5
of the Washington Treaty as a consequence of the 11 September 2001
attacks against the United States, NATO’s Standing Maritime elements
have routinely deployed to the Mediterranean in support of Operation
ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR, NATO’s maritime contribution to the fight against
terrorism.
Exercises
SNMG1 routinely participates in major NATO exercises and, by invitation,
in a number of exercises hosted by allied and partner nations.