Air defense and command frigate Tromp and minehunter Makkum have been participating in a large exercise organized by Finland since yesterday. It takes place in the Baltic Sea on the Finnish south coast. Both ships are currently part of a NATO fleet.
It is the first time that NATO is taking part in the annual exercise Freezing Winds . Finland and Sweden are in the process of joining NATO. It is therefore important that (future) allies learn to work together.
With 23 ships and 5,000 military personnel, Freezing Winds practices all aspects of naval warfare. Think of combating surface targets, mine countermeasures, amphibious operations and air defense. The area with many small islands is a challenging environment to operate. In addition, the extremely low temperatures call on the adaptability of the units.
This year Tromp is the flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 and is commanded by Commander Jeanette Morang. According to her, the cooperation with the Finnish navy is very good. “Of course there are challenges in the field of communication, but that is why we train.” Morang says he wants to learn about the Finnish perspective on possible threats in the region. She also calls the exercise important to get to know each other and the region.
Makkum is part of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1.