- Title: Ships, submarines, aircraft begin NATO anti-submarine exercises in Mediterranean
- Date: 14th March 2017
- Summary: AT SEA (MARCH 13, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GREEK SUBMARINE PULLING AWAY FROM PORT AND SOUNDING HORN GREEK SAILORS PULLING IN ROPES ON DECK OF SUBMARINE VARIOUS OF GREEK SUBMARINE PULLING OUT OF HARBOUR SPANISH SOLDIER NEXT TO GUN ON DECK OF SPANISH FRIGATE VARIOUS OF SPANISH SAILORS ON DECK OF FRIGATE SPANISH SAILORS IN COMMAND ROOM OF SPANISH FRIGATE SPANISH SAILOR LOOKING THROUGH BINOCULARS TORPEDO IN TORPEDO ROOM SIMULATION OF TORPEDO FIRING (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMODORE ANDREAS VETTOS, COMMANDER MARITIME AIR NATO SAYING: "This (the exercise) is focused how to integrate the ASW capabilities of submarines, surface vessels and air assets and integrated all of them in a three dimension exercise who focused in very advanced ASW scenarios." VARIOUS OF NATO SHIPS AT SEA HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD SAILOR WRITING NAMES OF WARSHIPS ON GLASS WITH AMERICAN DESTROYER AND OTHER SHIPS AT SEA VARIOUS OF PERSONNEL SIMULATING TREATMENT OF INJURED PERSON IN MEDICAL ROOM FRENCH AND CANADIAN WARSHIPS AT SEA SPANISH SAILORS IN COMMAND ROOM FRENCH FLAG FLYING FROM SUBMARINE WARSHIPS AND SUBMARINES AT SEA AMERICAN FLAG FLYING FROM DESTROYER USS PORTER TURKISH AND GREEK SUBMARINES AT SEA VARIOUS SUBMARINES AT SEA NATO EXERCISE UNDERWAY VARIOUS SHIPS MOVING AT SEA SPANISH SHIPS MOVING AT SEA AMERICAN SUBMARINE AT SEA VARIOUS NATO EXERCISES
- Embargoed: 28th March 2017 10:45
- Keywords: Nato submarine exercises Mediterranean US
- Location: AT SEA
- City: AT SEA
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA00167XKS3R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Submarines, ships and aircraft from ten allied nations gathered in the Mediterranean on Monday (March 13) for the start of NATO anti-submarine exercises.
The scope of the ASW (anti-submarine warfare) exercise Dynamic Manta 2017 (DYMA 17) is to improve the integration of the nations taking part.
Submarines from France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United States, joined ten surface ships from Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United States in the central Mediterranean sea off the Sicilian coast.
Nine Maritime Patrol Aircraft and three shore based helicopters from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States will operate from the Sicilian Sigonella Air Base.
"This (the exercise) is focused how to integrate the ASW capabilities of submarines, surface vessels and air assets and integrated all of them in a three dimension exercise," explained Commodore Andreas Vettos, Commander Maritime Air NATO.
NATO anti-submarine exercises have been seen as part of a broader push to revitalise European defence cooperation in the wake of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the rise of Islamic militancy on Europe's borders.
Similar anti-submarine exercises have taken place off the coast of Norway as NATO members become more concerned about the Russian build-up of a sophisticated fleet of submarines and aircraft in the north Atlantic.
American President Donald Trump made NATO states in Europe nervous when he criticized the alliance as "obsolete" during his election campaign but he has since reaffirmed support for NATO but insisted Europeans must "pay their fair share."
Trump aides have said the President wants to see progress on that by the end of 2017 and that Washington could otherwise "moderate" its support. Europe's low expenditure has long been a sore point for the United States, which provides the lion's share of the alliance funds. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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