According to NATO, “The Neptune Strike series is designed to demonstrate NATO’s ability to integrate high-end maritime strike capabilities, strengthen deterrence and ensure freedom of navigation across critical waterways. It also aims to secure strategic maritime chokepoints while testing interoperability across air, land and sea.”
The exercise, led by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO in Portugal under US Vice Admiral Jeffrey Anderson, involves over 10,000 personnel from 13 nations. Participating countries include Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Turkey, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Forces will conduct carrier-based air missions, amphibious landings in southern Italy, submarine patrols, surface warfare and a mass casualty drill. While the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group operates in the North Sea, multinational task groups will conduct joint missions in the Baltic and Mediterranean.
Among the ships taking part are USS Gerald R. Ford, command ship USS Mount Whitney, Turkish Navy amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu and Italian Navy transport dock ITS San Giorgio. Other destroyers, frigates, submarines and aircraft from participating nations are also involved.
As NATO stated, “The Neptune Strike series underscores NATO’s ability to integrate multinational naval and strike forces rapidly, even over long distances. These activities are long-planned, defensive in nature, and fully compliant with international law.”
A Pentagon release showed USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Winston S. Churchill and USS Mahan operating in the North Sea alongside Danish frigate HDMS Niels Juel and French frigate FS Bretagne. NATO added that “[Neptune Strike] is a clear expression of NATO’s commitment to readiness, which enhances and promotes peace and regional security and stability.”
