The HMS Ocean, the flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 docked in Haifa port Thursday and will take part in several joint exercises with the Israeli Navy and Air Force.
The Standing NATO Maritime Groups (SNMG) are a multinational, integrated maritime force made up of vessels from various allied countries. As well as being the flagship of SNMG2, the HMS Ocean is the flagship of British Royal Navy. The SNMGs also help to establish a NATO presence, demonstrate solidarity and conduct routine diplomatic visits to different countries.
While in Haifa the HMS Ocean will carry out several drills with the Israel Navy and Air Force, including a land engagement planned around a search and rescue operation with some rotary assets of the IAF and a small component of the 120 royal marines onboard the ship.
“When we go back to sea the first thing we are going to be doing is doing a surface warfare event with the Israeli navy with some assets acting as if they were a threat to the ship using a range of manned and interestingly unmanned systems to test the force protection of the combined group safely executing Ocean’s departure from Haifa,” said Commodore James Morley aboard the ship, adding that the Israeli Navy, he continued will act “as a barrier to get us safely back to sea.”
According to Morley, before the ship docked in Haifa an Israeli Air Force Helicopter operated from the deck of the ship bringing a team ashore to conduct a series of talks about exercises, a procedural event which nonetheless is not routine. “It’s important for the aircrew and our own aircraft handling teams to get used to operating with aircraft of each other’s navies so that should in the worst situation we will need to do so for real very quickly we are familiar with each other’s procedures because as you are aware every navy has a slightly different way of doing things,” he explained.
“We are here today as a friend of Israel and a visible demonstration of NATO’s continued commitment to Israel,” Morely said.
“Whilst we are here we will engage with the Israel Navy leaders in order to create and build opportunities for us to work together. Israel is one of our closest partners and we are moving steadily closer together,” he added.
Israel’s relationship with NATO is defined as a “partnership,” and the country has been a member of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue since it was initiated in 1994 along with six other non-NATO Mediterranean countries of Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
But NATO’s interest in the Mediterranean is increasing, especially with Russia’s increasingly assertiveness in the region. “There is a need to better understand the region and what is going on in the region,” Morley said, adding that “there is no one better to do that with than the Israeli navy.”
HMS Ocean, a 22,000 tonne amphibious assault ship, is the UK’s helicopter carrier and the fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. Her primary role is to carry and deliver troops supported by twelve medium lift helicopters, six attack helicopters and four landing craft. Her secondary role includes striking targets ashore, defense diplomacy and providing a limited anti-submarine warfare and a base for anti-terror operations.
Before arriving in Haifa the ship lead the British involvement in Exercise Niris alongside ships, aircraft and personnel from Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Israel, the USA to test a sizeable international naval force and its ability to respond to a major crisis in the region. Commissioned in October 1995, the HMS Ocean is on her final deployment. The carrier and her crew are expected to return to their homeport at Naval Base Plymouth in December where she will be decommissioned.
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