Flagship ITS Bergamini sailed into port at Souda Bay and the Commander of the Task Group, Italian Navy Rear Admiral Pasquale Esposito, took the opportunity to visit the first-class military facilities nearby.
They included the United States Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center (NMIOTC), and the Hellenic Navy Souda Bay Naval Base.
During the visit, Rear Admiral Esposito passed on his thanks to the Base Commanders, praising all the men and women who make the bay such an important asset for the Alliance.
Greek, US and NATO facilities together provide logistic support, force protection and tailored training opportunities to all NATO naval units and crews, improving and refining Allied capabilities.
The Commanding Officers, Captain Odin J. Klug (US NSA), Commodore Themistoklis Papadimitriou (NMIOTC) and Commodore Nektarios Limberakis (Naval Base), were hosted on board ITS Bergamini, where they discussed current issues affecting the Mediterranean. They also forged relationships, shared experiences and strengthened the link between allied navies and nations.
NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center (NMIOTC) conducts the combined training necessary for NATO forces and Partners to better execute surface, sub-surface, aerial surveillance, and special operations activities in support of Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO)
Naval Support Activity Souda Bay is dedicated to providing support services from the shore that enable the forward operations of US and Allied forces. It provides vital support to forces across the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility, which support real world operations, crisis and contingency efforts, and military exercises.
SNMG2 is one of four standing naval forces that comprise the maritime component of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), which is part of the NATO Response Force (NRF). They are the core of NATO's maritime capabilities, carrying out NATO missions across the full spectrum of operations, ready to respond to any task at any time.
