Canada Transfers Command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 to Türkiye
Aksaz Naval Base, Türkiye – Royal Canadian Navy Commodore Matthew Coates handed over command of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) to Rear Admiral (LH) H. İlker Avcı of the Turkish Navy on December 3rd, during a ceremony at Aksaz Naval Base.
Commodore Coates reflected on his tenure in command and thanked the ships and personnel who served as part of the task group for their exceptional contributions to the Alliance.
Together, we have strengthened NATO’s maritime presence and upheld the security of the Alliance’s waters with professionalism and commitment.
“As I transfer command of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 to our Turkish Allies, I want to express my deep pride in the exceptional work carried out by the dedicated crews of the ships under my command over the past five months,” said Commodore Matthew Coates. “Together, we have strengthened NATO’s maritime presence and upheld the security of the Alliance’s waters with professionalism and commitment. It has been an honour to lead this distinguished group, and I am confident the mission will continue to thrive under the leadership of our Turkish Allies.”
The handover marked the end of a five-month deployment for SNMG2 during challenging and volatile times, with the war in Ukraine and rising tensions in the Middle East. From July 1st to December 3rd, the Task Group carried out its mission in the Eastern and Central Mediterranean Sea enhancing deterrence, strengthening cohesion, and increasing collective defense for the Alliance.
Under the Canadian deployment, Commodore Coates commanded ships from five different Allied navies, ranging from two to a peak of five ships under his command at any one time. The group took part in the multi-domain vigilance activity Exercise Neptune Strike 24-2 and in Exercise Dynamic Guard – a NATO MARCOM-led electronic warfare and anti-ship missile defence exercise. SNMG2 also collaborated on numerous occasions with American, British, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Moroccan, Romanian, Turkish, and Spanish units under national operational control.
Moreover, scheduled port visits in Greece, Italy, and Türkiye enabled the Commander of SNMG2 to meet a number of diplomatic representatives and military leaders enhancing the strong cohesion between NATO nations.
This operational deployment met NATO’s key objectives of interoperability and cohesion between its member units, and established a continued presence on the Alliance’s southeastern borders.
This command period, which marks the fifth time Türkiye commands SNMG2, is a concrete example of Türkiye’s commitment to the Alliance’s missions and operations
Rear Admiral (LH) H. İlker Avcı underlined the importance of Standing Naval Forces (SNF) for the Alliance`s deterrence and defense activities in the maritime domain and reiterated Türkiye’s commitment and contributions to NATO. “This command period, which marks the fifth time Türkiye commands SNMG2, is a concrete example of Türkiye’s commitment to the Alliance’s missions and operations. The Turkish Navy is happy to be able to strengthen NATO with its regional expertise in the Mediterranean.”
Following the change of command, SNMG2 will continue to demonstrate NATO presence in the Mediterranean Sea under Turkish leadership, for the deterrence and defense of the Euro-Atlantic area.
SNMG2 is one of four Standing Naval Forces that operate under NATO Allied Maritime Command, headquartered in Northwood, United Kingdom. SNMG2 is a multinational integrated task group that projects a constant and visible reminder of the Alliance’s solidarity and cohesion afloat. This continuous maritime capability performs a wide range of tasks, including exercises and real-world operations in periods of crisis and conflict.
This was the second time Canada commanded SNMG2, although Canadian ships have often served in NATO Standing Naval Forces, demonstrating Canada’s commitment to the Defense of Alliance vital interests.
Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM
Source: MC.NATO.INT