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The submarine escape and rescue exercise has kicked-off in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Exercise Dynamic Monarch 2021 — a Submarine Escape and Rescue (SMER) exercise sponsored by NATO —commenced 12 September off the coast of Aksaz, Turkey.
The exercise — managed by International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO) — aims to leverage new technologies designed to save sailors trapped in a sunken submarine.
Participants include Italy, Turkey, and the US, who have been joined by forces from Canada, Greece and Spain.
Assets expected to take part include submarines, rescue vehicles, recompression chambers, medical teams and equipment, remote operated vehicles, aircrafts, atmospheric diving suits and divers.
Exercise Dynamic Monarch 2021 is scheduled to conclude on 24 September.
This follows the recommencement of NATO patrols in the central Mediterranean as part of NATO’s maritime security operation, Operation Sea Guardian (OSG).
NATO’s Operation Sea Guardian aims to enhance capacity building in the frame of maritime security.
These focused patrols contribute to maintain maritime situational awareness, to deter terrorism and mitigate the risk of other threats to security in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Romanian Navy frigate ROS Regina Maria and the Croatian Navy missile boat HRV Vukovar departed from Catania, Italy, and are being supported by submarines from Germany and Spain. Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPAs) from Italy and Turkey and Airborne Early Warning units from Greece and Turkey will provide air support to the patrols.
The fifth focused patrol of the year and the third in the Central Mediterranean includes a planned port visit to Valletta, Malta and will be followed by a passing exercise to develop interoperability skills between participating units.
[Related: NATO Sea Guardian maritime security operations resume]
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