The major maritime maneuver “Northern Coasts” (NOCO) will take place from September 9 to 23. This is one of the most important multinational exercises to strengthen cooperation between the naval forces of Germany and its partners in the Baltic Sea region.
This year, the German Navy is jointly responsible for the planning and implementation. The protection of the so-called northern flank is an elementary focus of the German Navy in national and alliance defense. “The mission of the German Navy is to protect Germany and its people. Day in, day out, above, on and under water. We showed that we are ready to do this after the start of the war in Ukraine, among other things with our quick decision ‘everything that swims, goes out’,” said Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, Inspector of the Navy. “Ensuring this protection means above all: practising, presence and permanent vigilance – together with our partners in NATO and the EU. The “Northern Coasts” exercise serves precisely these goals. Starting this year, the German Navy will take over the command of the maneuver from our command center in Rostock. I am very pleased that the USA and twelve other nations are taking part in this exercise, which is so important for the countries bordering the Baltic Sea. Together we stand for NATO’s motto: all for one and one for all.” https://militaeraktuell.at/hubschrauber-hilfseinsaetze-in-tirol-und-kaernten/ The aim of “NOCO 23” is to practice tactical procedures in coastal waters in a national and alliance defense scenario. “It is essential to optimize the interoperability between the participating naval, land and air forces and to further intensify cooperation between the partners in the Baltic Sea region,” according to a recent statement from the German Navy. The exercise area mainly comprises the coastal waters of Estonia and Latvia, including land and air space, as well as the eastern and central part of the Baltic Sea. “With NOCO 23, we are taking a huge step towards the full operational readiness of our DEU Marfor staff in Rostock. It is also the first time that we as DEU Marfor have planned and conducted a maneuver of this magnitude,” says Flotilla Admiral Stephan Haisch, exercise officer and deputy commander of DEU Marfor. This year, around 3,200 soldiers from 14 nations are taking part in the exercise. Around 30 ships, submarines, up to 15 aircraft and various land units are training together. This year, for the first time since the maneuver’s premiere in 2007, a realistic scenario is being practiced as part of alliance defence. Haisch: “Another first is that a maneuver is being led by my staff and myself from Rostock, even though it is taking place off the coasts and on the territory of Latvia and Estonia.” https://militaeraktuell.at/fregatte-hessen-hochmodern-hochgefaehrlich/ The “Northern Coasts” exercise series was launched by the German Navy in 2007. It is the focus exercise of the Inspectorate of the German Navy. Every year, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland alternate responsibility for conducting the exercise; this year, Germany has the lead responsibility. This year, Italy, France, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the USA and Germany are taking part in the exercise.
The German Navy is sending the Hamburg frigate, the Bad Rappenau minesweeper, the Elbe tender, a P-3C Orion maritime reconnaissance aircraft and the Rhön fuel transporter, among others. The exercise participants also include two units of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). The frigate Hessen and the fuel transporter Spessart are currently part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG 1/ Task Group 01 – consisting of frigates and destroyers) under the command of German Flotilla Admiral Thorsten Marx. The minehunting boat Bad Bevensen is subordinate to the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG 1/Task Group 03 – consisting of mine countermeasures vessels). For the first time, a US Navy amphibious unit is also participating in NOCO. US Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will train both on board the USS Mesa Verde and ashore together with elements of the German naval battalion.
