NATO Visits and Exercises with Israeli Navy

For the fourth consecutive year, NATO’s Operation Sea Guardian (OSG) exercises with the Israeli Navy to develop interoperability and to reinforce its cooperation around maritime security. Hellenic Navy frigate HS Spetsai and Bulgarian Navy frigate Drazki paid a visit to Haifa during their focused patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Simultaneously, a MARCOM delegation led by Italian Navy Rear Admiral Francesco Milazzo, Chief of Staff of Allied Maritime Command, met with the Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff of the Israeli Navy, Rear Admiral Guy Goldfarb and his staff. Both delegations had the opportunity to assess the cooperation between NATO and Israeli Navy, analysing the good work being done and planning for future cooperation opportunities.

Israel has been an important partner to NATO for more than 20 years, as well as an active member of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue. The cooperation between NATO and partners like Israel are pivotal to increase the maritime security in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and to assure the international community preserving the stability in this region.

Before and after the port visit to Haifa, the NATO task group planned and executed two OSG passage exercises (PASSEX) of increasing complexity, with the Israeli Navy. These exercises enabled to practice several maneuvers and procedures at sea linked to the interoperability in the conduction of maritime security operations.

During the second iteration, a scenario involving simulated life-threatening accidents with crew aboard NATO ships triggered for an urgent medical evacuation to a nearby hospital. This serial enabled to exercise maritime medical support in the Eastern region of the Mediterranean Sea.

“These drills were a great opportunity to take further on our interoperability skills. We have trained several aspects like communications in support of Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA), helicopter operations, fleet manoeuvring and medical assistance at sea.  These two exercises enabled NATO and Israeli navies to further develop our cooperation striving to maintain maritime security in the Easter Mediterranean,” said Captain Panagiotis Karavas, NATO task group commander.