NATO Haze Grey and Underway: Enhanced Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike 24-2
The MOC
By
Admiral James G. Foggo, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
October 31, 2024
Greetings from the other side of the Atlantic and enhanced vigilance activity Neptune Strike (NEST) 24-2. Last April, I provided a look into Neptune Strike 24-1 from Lisbon, Portugal. Neptune Strike is NATO’s signature series effort intended to enhance “Peacetime Vigilance Activities” around the alliance. The exercise is planned and coordinated by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, but embarked this week onboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), the Sixth Fleet Command ship, homeported in Gaeta, Italy.
With all that is going on in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, NATO is prudent to maintain a watchful eye in the bodies of water that touch the shores of partners and allies. The situation is tense in the Eastern Mediterranean. Israel has just completed retaliatory strikes on Iran after Tehran’s strike on Israel in response to the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Meanwhile, the Houthis continue their attacks on commercial shipping and naval assets in the Red Sea. Finally, Russia has augmented its numbers in the war in Ukraine by recruiting North Korean soldiers into its ranks. The geopolitical situation portends high tension and increased risk of a broader conflict. NATO must remain vigilant.
When I last wrote about Neptune Strike 24-1, it was springtime in Europe. Cruise ships were crisscrossing the Mediterranean delivering thousands of tourists to destinations in Southern Europe, North Africa, and the High North and Baltic Sea.
As USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) prepared to depart the Mediterranean theater, only to be extended once again in the Arabian Gulf, NATO assembled four different maritime strike groups from Italy (ITS Cavour), Spain (ESP Juan Carlos I), France (FS Charles de Gaulle), and Türkiye (TCG Anadolu) to fill in the gap.
Neptune Strike 24-1 offered several firsts of a kind:
France transferred authority for the operations of its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the FS Charles de Gaulleand its strike group to NATO.
The Turkish Navy showcased its naval capabilities in its new amphibious ship TCG Anadolu, while performing a variety of missions with embarked NATO counterparts.
Sweden joined this exercise for the first time as a ratified NATO ally including liaison officers at Naval Striking and Support Force NATO headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal.
This time is no less complicated. In fact, NATO has expanded the area of operations for NEST 24-2 to include the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas as well as the Baltic Sea in the High North. The exercise will test NATO’s ability to conduct ‘amphibiousity’ in more than one theater of operations, as well as counter-mine operations, explosive ordnance disposal, and counter-drone warfare. With the departure of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group—the fifth of its kind to operate in the EUCOM and CENTOM areas of responsibility since October 7th of last year—will operate in the North Sea with its Royal Navy counterpart, HMS Prince of Wales. Meanwhile the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group will perform a variety of missions in the Mediterranean along with the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill and the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolou, a return player from NEST 24-1.
Overall, 20 ships and submarines and 15,000 support personnel are participating in the exercise. By doing so, NATO remains forward on the pointy end of the spear and ready to respond to any contingency and provide collective defense to the Alliance. Semper Invictus!
The views expressed above are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of any current or former employer, nor do they express an official view of the U.S. government.The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.
Center for Maritime Strategy
By Admiral James G. Foggo, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Greetings from the other side of the Atlantic and enhanced vigilance activity Neptune Strike (NEST) 24-2. Last April, I provided a look into Neptune Strike 24-1 from Lisbon, Portugal. Neptune Strike is NATO’s signature series effort intended to enhance “Peacetime Vigilance Activities” around the alliance. The exercise is planned and coordinated by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, but embarked this week onboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), the Sixth Fleet Command ship, homeported in Gaeta, Italy.
With all that is going on in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, NATO is prudent to maintain a watchful eye in the bodies of water that touch the shores of partners and allies. The situation is tense in the Eastern Mediterranean. Israel has just completed retaliatory strikes on Iran after Tehran’s strike on Israel in response to the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Meanwhile, the Houthis continue their attacks on commercial shipping and naval assets in the Red Sea. Finally, Russia has augmented its numbers in the war in Ukraine by recruiting North Korean soldiers into its ranks. The geopolitical situation portends high tension and increased risk of a broader conflict. NATO must remain vigilant.
When I last wrote about Neptune Strike 24-1, it was springtime in Europe. Cruise ships were crisscrossing the Mediterranean delivering thousands of tourists to destinations in Southern Europe, North Africa, and the High North and Baltic Sea.
As USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) prepared to depart the Mediterranean theater, only to be extended once again in the Arabian Gulf, NATO assembled four different maritime strike groups from Italy (ITS Cavour), Spain (ESP Juan Carlos I), France (FS Charles de Gaulle), and Türkiye (TCG Anadolu) to fill in the gap.
Neptune Strike 24-1 offered several firsts of a kind:
This time is no less complicated. In fact, NATO has expanded the area of operations for NEST 24-2 to include the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas as well as the Baltic Sea in the High North. The exercise will test NATO’s ability to conduct ‘amphibiousity’ in more than one theater of operations, as well as counter-mine operations, explosive ordnance disposal, and counter-drone warfare. With the departure of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group—the fifth of its kind to operate in the EUCOM and CENTOM areas of responsibility since October 7th of last year—will operate in the North Sea with its Royal Navy counterpart, HMS Prince of Wales. Meanwhile the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group will perform a variety of missions in the Mediterranean along with the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill and the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolou, a return player from NEST 24-1.
Overall, 20 ships and submarines and 15,000 support personnel are participating in the exercise. By doing so, NATO remains forward on the pointy end of the spear and ready to respond to any contingency and provide collective defense to the Alliance. Semper Invictus!
The views expressed above are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of any current or former employer, nor do they express an official view of the U.S. government. The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.