NATO is conducting the exercise Northern Viking 26 on and around Iceland with forces from ten allied countries. The exercise focuses on the defence of Iceland and the strategically important sea lines of communication through the GIUK gap between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom.
Northern Viking 26 is led by the United States and forms part of NATO's broader activity Arctic Sentry in the northern regions, writes NATO's Allied Maritime Command. Air and maritime combat forces from the United States, Iceland, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Lithuania, Germany, Norway and Poland are taking part in the exercise.
Two of NATO's standing naval forces are participating: the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) and the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1). Together with other allied forces, the units will practise operations on and beneath the sea surface, as well as mine countermeasures.
SNMCMG1 is currently under Lithuanian command and is participating with mine countermeasures vessels from Canada, Germany, Lithuania and Poland. In addition, a Danish mine countermeasures unit and a Portuguese explosive ordnance disposal group are taking part. According to NATO, the participation is intended to develop the ability to keep key sea routes open and protect freedom of movement in the North Atlantic.
"By training together in a demanding operational environment, we strengthen interoperability, share operational experience and improve our readiness to contribute to security in the North Atlantic," says Commander Donatas Gečas, commander of SNMCMG1, in NATO's press release.
The GIUK gap consists of the sea areas between Greenland and Iceland, and between Iceland and the United Kingdom. NATO describes the area as a critical maritime corridor between North America and Europe. Northern Viking is intended to give participating forces the opportunity to train under the area's particular conditions and to develop the ability to conduct joint multinational operations.
SNMG1 and SNMCMG1 are two of NATO's four standing naval forces and are, according to NATO, kept at high readiness for tasks including maritime security, freedom of navigation and rapid response to emerging threats.