Standing NRF Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standing mine countermeasures Immediate Reaction Force. From 3 September 2001 to 1 January 2005 it was known as the Mine Countermeasures Force South (MCMFORSOUTH). From its activation on 27 May 1999 to September 2001, it was Standing Mine Countermeasures Force in the Mediterranean (MCMFORMED). The flag of NATO 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, D.C., on April 4, 1949. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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 and is the current year. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

SNMCMG2 is normally comprised of eight mine hunters or mine sweepers and a support ship from Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.

SNMCMG2 operates as an integral unit whether participating in exercises or conducting real world operational missions. It is employed primarily in the Mediterranean area but, as required, will be available anywhere NATO requires it to deploy. 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. ...

Command of the force rotates among contributing nations.

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

MCMFORMED and her sister force Mine Counter Measures Force North Western Europe (MCMFORNORTH) were tasked in June 1999 to operate in the Adriatic Sea to clear ordnance jettisoned during Operation Allied Force. The combined force comprised 11 Mine hunter/sweepers and a support ship. The operation, named Allied Harvest, began on 9 June 1999. Search activities began three days later and lasted 73 days. In total, 93 pieces of ordnance were located and cleared in the nine areas which encompass 1,041 square nautical miles (3,570 km²). Standing NRF Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standing mine countermeasures Immediate Reaction Forces. ... The Adriatic Sea Source: NASA The Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea separating the Apennine peninsula (Italy) from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. ... Operation Allied Force was the military response of NATO to the 1999 Kosovo crisis, and the first major combat operation in NATO history. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

References and links

• official web page