A Dutch Navy NH-90 helicopter from HNLMS Van Speijk frigate manoeuvres at low altitude while performing an Anti-Submarine Warfare mission during Dynamic Mongoose Exercise. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Dutch Navy acoustic operator listens and manages the signal received by the sonar aboard an NH-90 helicopter while tracking a submarine during Exercise Dynamic Mongoose. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Dutch Navy Aircrewman maintains look-out over the sea surface while conducting an Anti-Submarine Warfare Mission (CASEX) aboard an NH-90 helicopter, launched by HNLMS Van Speijk during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Dutch Navy NH-90 helicopter takes off from HNLMS Van Speijk frigate to conduct an Anti-Submarine Warfare mission during Exercise Dynamic Mongoose. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
An NH-90 aircrew debreifs with the Commanding Officer of HNLMS Van Speijk after conducting an ASW flight during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Dutch Navy NH-90 helicopter raise up its sonar sensor while conducting Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise (CASEX) during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
Polish frigate ORP Kociuszco (243) sails in the Norwegian Sea during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
ORP Kosiusco ,TCG Gediz ,HNLMS Van Amstel and HNLMS Van Speijk sail in formation in Norwegian Sea during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
Turkish frigate TCG Gediz sails in the Norwegian fjords during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
HDMS Niels Juel's Navigation Officer lines up the ship in the formation while executing manoeuvres drills during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Danish Navy sailors writes ships names on one window aboard SNMG1 Flagship HDMS Niels Juel, during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
Spanish frigate ESPS Alvaro de Bazan (front) sails in the Norwegian fjords during Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Danish Navy diver is winched aboard the MH-60 helicopter from HDMS Niels Juel plateform while training, during Exercise Dynamic Mongoose. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Danish Navy Radar operator reports ships position while SNMG1 flagship Niels Juel, sails outbound Norwegian fjords as Exercise Dynamic Mongoose kicks off. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
A Danish Tactical Officer and Warfare Supervisors focus on the tactical picture around SNMG1 flagship HDMS Niels Juel, during the first manoeuvre drills of Dynamic Mongoose 18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) ship TCG Gediz (F495) sails in the Norwegian Fjords, as Dynamic Mongoose Exercise kicks off. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
Maritime Patrol Aircrafts stationed on the tarmac of Andoya Air Station during Dynamic Mongoose18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) flagship HDMS Niels Juel gets underway with media to showcase exercise Dynamic Mongoose18. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde
Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) flagship HDMS Niels Juel sails in the Norwegian Fjords, as Dynamic Mongoose Exercise kicks off. NATO Photo by FRA N WO Christian Valverde

Photos from NATO's anti-submarine warfare exercise outside Harstad

Eight nations, seven surface warships, three maritime patrol aircraft and two submarines. Click on the gallery above to see the photos from Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2018.

It started on June 26, this year’s largest NATO anti-submarine training in the North Atlantic. Sailing in the waters outside Harstad and Narvik, Northern Norway, the exercise is ´aimed to provide all participants with complex and challenging warfare training at discovering enemy submarines.

Further out from the exercise area, in the Norwegian Sea, most Russian submarines sailing out from the Northern Fleet’s bases on the Kola Peninsula dive deep en route to the North Atlantic. In June, the Northern Fleet held its largest Barents Sea exercise in 10 years.

Participating nations additional to the Norwegian navy are Denmark, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the United States.

The maritime patrol aircraft operates from Andøya Air Base. Planes belongs to Norway, Germany and the United States.

“NATO’s annual anti-submarine-warfare exercise DYNAMIC MONGOOSE remains one of the most challenging exercises and an excellent opportunity for NATO nations’ naval forces to practice and evaluate their Anti-Submarine skillset in a challenging environment.” said Rear Admiral Andrew Lennon, NATO Submarines Commander.

“This exercise is a unique opportunity to enhance naval forces’ warfighting skills in all three dimensions of Anti-Submarine-Warfare in a multinational and multi-threat environment. We are most grateful to Norway and the Norwegian Navy for offering to host our exercise,” the Commander tells.

DYNAMIC MONGOOSE ends on Friday July 6 after going on for two weeks.

Russian submarines

Last year, a similar though larger, exercise took place off the coast of Iceland with Reykjavik as support harbour and Keflavik as base for the maritime aircraft.

Russian submarine activities have increased substantially over the last decade with both more and longer patrols out to the North Atlantic. With bases along the coast of the Kola Peninsula, the Northern Fleet has received several new and many upgraded nuclear-powered submarines. Currently 13 new nuclear-powered submarines are under construction or testing at the Sevmash naval yard in Severodvinsk.

Trident Juncture

NATO has a special focus on Norway this year and will kick off the large-scale exercise Trident Juncture 18 in October. The exercise will include some 40,000 soldiers, 130 aircraft and 60 vessels from most NATO member countries and a few others like Sweden and Finland.

Trident Juncture will include most military arms from troop training at the tactical level to command over large forces; air force, army and navy. The aim of the exercise is to test and train NATO’s ability to plan and conduct a major collective defense operation.

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