The minesweeper Alghero of the Navy departed yesterday from the naval base of La Spezia with destination Port Mahon (Island of Menorca, Spain) to rejoin the next 27 April to the units of the Second Group of Countermeasures Mine of NATO (NATO - SNMCMG2), the integrated multinational maritime force which works to ensure the protection of maritime communication routes and access to ports from the threat of mine-ships.
The SNMCMG2 naval group, employed byAllied Maritime Command based in Northwood (UK), is currently composed of the Navy ship, the British unit Enterprise, with the naval group's command staff on board, the Segura Spanish fighter and the Turkish minesweeper Anamur, who will sail together with Alghero ship before entering Port Mahon.
During the aggregation period, the SNMCMG2 units will carry out the annual Spanish Minex exercise before stopping in Palma de Majorca and then head towards the Sicilian coasts to participate in the national open sea exercise and Italian Minex.
The SNMCMG2 is one of the four permanent naval groups that make up the NATO Rapid Reaction Force. The mine countermeasures group provides the alliance with an operational capability which is essential to ensure free access to ports and safe navigation in times of crisis. Permanent groups continuously train with allied and partner countries, participating in national or multinational exercises, so as to increase interoperability and maintain a high level of training.
Ship Alghero will leave the NATO group in early June 2018, to return to the port of La Spezia.
