History of SNMG1

Background
SNMG1 is a multinational, integrated maritime force consisting of vessels from the various alliance nations, training and operating together as a single team. The Group 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, it 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 Gualtiero Mattesi of the Italian Navy. He reports currently to the Commander of Allied Maritime Command Naples.
Nations routinely contributing to the Force are UK, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, United States, Canada, Norway and Denmark although other NATO nations also contribute ships to SNMG1.
SNMG1 carries out a 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. Based on the unrest in Libya SNMG 1 is currently deployed to the area to build/develop comprehensive situational awareness with emphasis on Libya and a possible arms embargo. The aim is to take a greater coordination role in the area to increase situational awareness of all allied forces.

Mission
 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). These 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, is the full integration and participation in the NRF, providing maritime support to operations.
Both SNMGs and SNMCMGs also undertake missions that include establishing the 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.

History
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. Currently, the SNMGs are deployed in the Gulf of Aden with NATO’s counter piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield. SNMG1 and SNMG2 alternately represent NATO and work with other organisations such as the European Union (EU) and the Combined Maritime Force (CMF) to deter and disrupt pirate activity.

Exercises
SNMG1 routinely participates in major NATO exercises and, by invitation, in a number of exercises hosted by allied and partner nations.