Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standing maritime Immediate Reaction Forces. Prior to 1 January 2005 it was known as Standing Naval Force MMediterranean (STANAVFORMED). NATO 2002 Summit The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949. ... Sunset at sea A sea is a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, or a large, usually saline, lake that lacks a natural outlet such as the Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Nations normally contributing to the group include Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States. Other NATO nations have also occasionally contributed.

The composition of SNMG2 varies depending on the capabilities of the various contributing nations. Command of the force rotates among participating countries. The present commander is Commodore Ioannis Karaiskos, Hellenic Navy, who took command on 5 August 2004. The Military of Greece is composed from the Hellenic Army, the Hellenic Navy and the Hellenic Air Force. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Organization

SNMG2 is a component of the NATO Response Force (NRF). The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a coherent, high readiness, joint, multinational force package of approximatly 17,000 troops that is technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable1. ...

Operationally, SNMG2 reports to the Maritime Component Command Naples, which is one of the three Component Commands of Joint Force Command Naples.

History

Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) was activated on 30 April 1992, in Naples, Italy. STANAVFORMED was the successor to the NATO Naval On-Call Force Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED) - which had been periodically activated for more than 20 years. April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alternate uses: See Naples (disambiguation) Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek Νέα-Πόλις, latinised in Neapolis) is the largest town in southern Italy, capital of Campania region. ...

On 6 October 2001, STANAVFORMED deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of Operation Active Endeavour, NATO's maritime contribution to the fight against terrorism. Through rotation of NATO’s standing naval forces, Task Force ENDEAVOUR has maintained an active presence in the operational area, the Mediterranean east of Sicily. October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in Leap years). ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ...

References and links

• official web page (http://www.afsouth.nato.int/JFCN_Factsheets/SNMG2.htm)
• DOD Responsibility Sharing Report 1999 (http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/allied_contrib99/rs99-chpt3.html)