Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) operate alongside Allied navies in the High North, strengthening interoperability across surface, subsurface, and mine‑countermeasures operations and reinforcing NATO’s readiness in the North Atlantic.
Bringing together the United States and Iceland with NATO Allied forces from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Lithuania, Germany, Norway and Poland, the exercise integrates air and maritime capabilities in a realistic operational scenario to strengthen interoperability, enhance readiness, and improve the ability to plan and conduct joint multinational operations.
For Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1), participation provides an opportunity to employ and further develop MCM capabilities in the demanding maritime environment of the North Atlantic and High North.
By training together in a demanding operational environment, we strengthen interoperability, share operational experience and improve our readiness to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic
“Exercises such as Northern Viking demonstrate the value of bringing together Allied mine countermeasures forces with other maritime and joint capabilities. By training together in a demanding operational environment, we strengthen interoperability, share operational experience and improve our readiness to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic,” said Commander SNMCMG1, Lithuanian Navy Commander Donatas Gečas.
The exercise also underlines 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 critical maritime corridor connecting North America and Europe. Operating in this challenging environment allows Allied forces to build familiarity with the unique conditions of the region while strengthening their ability to operate together in support of NATO’s collective defence.
SNMG1 and SNMCMG1 are two of NATO’s four Standing Naval Forces, maintained at high readiness to provide persistent maritime security, assure freedom of navigation and respond rapidly to emerging threats across the Alliance.
Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM