Home Europe NATO kicks off seven-nation drill Dynamic Mariner off France

NATO kicks off seven-nation drill Dynamic Mariner off France

Dynamic Mariner
Photo: NATO

An exercise designed to test NATO’s Response Force Maritime Component (NRF/M) kicked off on Monday off the coast of France.

The maneuver is called Dynamic Mariner and will test the interoperability of NATO forces, enhancing flexibility and improving their ability to work together. It is scheduled to conclude on October 8.

The exercise brings together 31 surface ships, one submarine, three maritime patrol aircraft and other air assets as well as personnel, from Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and the United States.

Dynamic Mariner overlaps with the UK-hosted Joint Warrior exercise that is starting this week and will end on October 15.

DYMR20 is led by the NATO Maritime Command and involves Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2), two of NATO’s Standing Forces on active duty that contribute to the Alliance’s collective defense on a permanent basis.

Some exercise elements such as in-person interactions have been scaled down due to the ongoing global pandemic.

The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and special operations forces (SOF) components that the alliance can deploy quickly, wherever needed.