NATO flexes anti-submarine muscle in Mediterranean exercises

ROME (AFP) Feb 12, 2004
Eleven NATO states will provide hundreds of personnel aboard seven submarines, 14 maritime patrol aircraft and seven surface ships in the alliance's biggest anti-sumbarine warfare exercise later this month, officials at NATO's southern European headquarters said Thursday.

The naval war games will take place in the Ionian Sea to the east of Sicily between February 19 and March 3, the organisation said.

"The exercise will demonstrate NATO's determination to maintain proficiency in coordinated anti-submarine, anti-surface, and coastal surveillance operations using a multinational force of ships, submarines and aircraft," according to a statement.

Submarines from Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United States will participate, along with aircraft from those countries as well as from Britain, Canada, Italy, Norway and Portugal.

WAR.WIRE