BLACK SEA (April 11, 2019) Five ships from Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) are participating in the annual Romanian-led naval exercise Sea Shield in the Black Sea April 5-13.

This year, more than 20 ships and crews from Romania, Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, the Netherlands and Turkey are working with Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from the US and Turkey to conduct the exercise designed to practice joint warfare tactics and techniques used against underwater, surface and air threats...

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"Sea Shield is an excellent exercise for the Standing NATO Maritime Group,” said SNMG2 Commander, Commodore Boudewijn Boots. "It offers the opportunity to work together with NATO Allies that border the Black Sea to ensure interoperability and readiness.”

SNMG2 currently consists of flagship Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS Evertsen, Bulgarian Navy frigate BGS Drazki, Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Toronto, Romanian Naval Forces frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand and Turkish Navy frigate TCG Yildirim. SNMG2 is conducting a routine patrol in the Black Sea as part of their annual schedule of operations. While in the Black Sea, the group has conducted port visits in Odesa, Ukraine, Poti, Georgia and Constanta, Romania.