Greek SOF Unit Excels in NATO’s ‘Dynamic Manta 24’ Exercise in Sicily

Greek Special Operation Forces (SOF) were among the NATO contingents who took part and reportedly excelled in a military exercise codenamed “DYNAMIC MANTA 24”, which took place in Sicily between Feb. 22 and 28.

Ships, submarines, aircraft and thousands of personnel gathered in the Mediterranean Sea the Euro-Atlantic alliance’s major submarine warfare exercise.

The military exercise, the largest and most complex submarine exercise in the Mediterranean, which trains, demonstrates, and refines Allied capabilities in this particular type of warfare, has a high degree of difficulty with submarine crews responding and adapting to threats below the surface.

The exercise, planned by NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), took place off the eastern and southern coasts of Sicily. Six submarines took turns hunting and being hunted, in close coordination with air and surface assets. The submarines were from the navies of Greece, France, Italy, Spain and Turkey.

Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from Canada, Germany, Greece, Turkey, the United Kingdom the United States, and Maritime Patrol Helicopters (MPH) from Italy also took part, supported by the surface ships of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2), commanded by Italian Navy Rear Admiral Pasquale Esposito.

As reported by VIMA, the Greek SOF team made a landing from an Italian submarine to conduct its mission.

VIMA notes that the Alliance specifically requests Greek frogmen for this training, as they are highly regarded among their NATO peers.

The demanding exercise took place concurrently with NATO’s largest exercise, Steadfast Defender, demonstrating the Alliance’s ability to carry on simultaneous exercises and missions across the Euro-Atlantic area.

Dynamic Manta aims to provide all participants with complex and challenging warfare training to enhance interoperability and proficiency in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare skills. Each participating unit will have the opportunity to conduct a variety of submarine warfare operations. The submarines will take turns hunting and being hunted, closely coordinating their efforts with the air and surface participants.