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NATO AND Russian ships conduct Joint Training

NATO AJFC Naples Press Release {37}
25 Nov. 2004

NATO and Russian Federation (RF) ships will assemble today in the port of Taranto, Italy to prepare to conduct bilateral sea training tomorrow in the Ionian Sea.

Two units from the NATO Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED), the Greek frigate HS Bouboulina (Flagship of STANAVFORMED) and the US destroyer USS Mahan will be at anchor today, together with the RF destroyer Smetlivy and the frigate Pytlivy, to conduct a series of preparatory meetings and static drills to finalize the procedures to be practiced tomorrow, during a ‘passage exercise’ (PASSEX).

The PASSEX will be aimed at familiarizing the RF Navy units with NATO naval procedures. It will consist of basic interoperability activities and will include ship manoeuvring, helicopter transfer operations, communications exercises and boarding demonstrations. Exchange of personnel will aid information flow and support safety requirements.

To prepare for this activity, NATO and RF officers met in Souda Bay (Crete, Greece) on 22-23 November where the program for the PASSEX was agreed. This exercise is independent from Operation Active Endeavour (OAE) as currently the Russian Federation Navy is not part of that operation. However the NATO Russia Council Foreign Ministers meeting in Istanbul agreed in principle that Russia will provide support to OAE and arrangements are underway to make this possible. Developing appropriate interoperability (of which PASSEX is just the latest example) is an important part of this process, and we welcome Russia’s willingness to work hand in hand with NATO in the face of common security challenges.

STANAVFORMED was established as a NATO immediate reaction force in Naples (Italy) on 30 April 1992. Since its activation it has participated in NATO peace support operations related to the crises in the former Republic of Yugoslavia and more recently, in Operation Active Endeavour, NATO’s maritime contribution to the fight against terrorism, and during NATO's support to the security of the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic games. The ships of the force rotate every few months and its routine activities consist of an intensive programme of training and participation in both NATO and national exercises. In the last year, the force has also visited ports in and out of the Mediterranean Sea. The current Commander of the Standing Naval Force Mediterranean is Commodore Ioannis Karaiskos, Hellenic Navy.