On the waters around Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom, NATO is conducting the major maritime exercise “Northern Viking 2026”. The aim is to test the ability of Allied forces to defend the countries of the region and protect critical infrastructure and strategically important sea lanes. Among the ships taking part is the Polish minehunter ORP Mewa, which is currently serving as part of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG-1).

Last week, NATO ships arrived in the port of Reykjavík, where a change of command of SNMCMG-1 took place, with command being assumed by a Lithuanian naval officer cadre. The ships subsequently sailed into the challenging northern waters to take part in the exercise, which forms part of the wider Arctic Sentry operation supporting the defence of Iceland and the protection of critical infrastructure in the High North.

The exercise, involving the United States and Iceland alongside ships and other contingents from NATO countries including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Lithuania, Germany, Norway, Poland and Portugal, is designed to integrate air and maritime capabilities in a realistic operational scenario. Its objectives include strengthening interoperability and maintaining and enhancing capabilities, including through the deployment of multinational naval groups. The group brings together multinational mine countermeasures (MCM) capabilities, including minehunters from Canada, Germany, Lithuania and Poland, supported by a Danish mine countermeasures team and a Portuguese explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team. Together, these forces provide a broad range of specialist capabilities.

“Exercises such as Northern Viking demonstrate the value of combining Allied mine countermeasures forces with other maritime and joint forces. Joint training in a demanding operational environment strengthens interoperability, allows us to share operational experience and enhances our readiness to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic,” said Commander Donatas Gečas, commander of SNMCMG-1.

The activities also highlight the strategic importance of the North Atlantic and the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK) Gap. The waters between Greenland and Iceland, and between Iceland and the United Kingdom, form a key maritime corridor linking North America with Europe. Operating in this challenging environment allows Allied forces to familiarise themselves with the region’s unique conditions while strengthening their ability to operate together in support of NATO’s collective defence.

It should also be borne in mind that the area lies adjacent to the Norwegian Sea and, further north, the Arctic, with Russian territory located relatively close by. Units of Russia’s Northern Fleet, including new nuclear-powered submarines, regularly operate from bases in Karelia. There is also a risk that hazardous underwater objects could be deliberately left in the area to threaten maritime traffic, damage critical infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, or conduct intelligence-gathering activities.

The exercise provides an opportunity for the Polish Kormoran II-class minehunter ORP Mewa (603) to operate in a new environment. Since June this year and until the end of December, the ship has been serving with SNMCMG-1. It is one of the newest ships in the Polish Navy, having entered service in February 2023. The vessel is assigned to the 13th Minesweeper Squadron of the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla, based at the Gdynia Naval Port.

Importantly, ORP Mewa is the first ship of its class to serve as part of a multinational naval group. This provides an opportunity for its crew to demonstrate both their skills and the vessel’s capabilities. It also strengthens Poland’s contribution to the defence of NATO’s maritime domain while providing an opportunity to showcase the work of the Polish shipbuilding industry — a vessel designed and built using domestic capabilities.

Photo: NATO Maritime Command