In Biggest NATO Drills Since Cold War, Frigate 'Destroys' Sub Off Norway | EUROtoday

ABOARD THE FRENCH FRIGATE NORMANDY (AP) — Large NATO drills within the frigid fjords of northern Norway could also be simply battle video games meant to hone the combating expertise of the newly expanded 32-nation army alliance. But for troops participating, they’re very actual.

And that's the entire level.

With drills underway now, NATO is baring its fangs in its largest workout routines because the Cold War, sending an unmistakable message to Russia that alliance members are able to defend one another if wanted.

Having watched Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third yr, the NATO coaching goals to cowl all eventualities. That can embrace making an attempt to catch troops off guard.

This week, crew members aboard the French frigate Normandie, one in every of France's most fashionable warships, had been roused from sleep and scrambled to search out and kill a submarine that snuck into chilly Norwegian waters.

The submarine belongs to Germany, additionally a NATO member. But for the aim of the battle video games dubbed Nordic Response 2024, it was performing as an enemy vessel.

The Normandie crew noticed its periscope poking by way of the waves and sprang into motion. The submarine had already “attacked” a close-by Italian ship, the plane provider Giuseppe Garibaldi, scoring an imaginary torpedo hit.

The crew had been decided to not let Normandie — a top-of-the-line vessel, in service solely since 2020 — undergo the indignity of additionally being struck.

An pressing 7 am name bought Normandie's commander, Capt. Thomas Vuong, up from his bunk. He ordered the frigate's submarine-hunting helicopter to be readied for flight, waking its pilot.

“We spotted its attack periscope,” Vuong informed The Associated Press on board Normandie in an unique interview.

“Then he dived again,” he mentioned. “We were asked to hunt for it. We succeeded.”

Once airborne, the Normandie's NH90 helicopter hovered over the waves and lowered its submarine-detecting sonar into the ocean. The frigate additionally used its sonar, and collectively, they zeroed in on the sub's place and “attacked” it in flip.

“Intelligence confirmed to us that there were no friendly submarines in the sector, so we were certain that it was an enemy submarine,” the helicopter pilot, Lt. Olivier, recounted. The French navy withheld his household identify for safety causes.

“So the frigate was able to fire a torpedo and destroy the submarine,” he added — however not for actual, in fact.

The frigate and its helicopter pinpointed the submarine with enough accuracy to ensure that it wouldn't have survived had precise torpedoes been fired.

The Normandie crew of 146 mariners bought no advance warning of the German sub “attack,” to check their readiness within the inhospitable surroundings above the Artic Circle, Vuong mentioned.

As of this week, NATO nations now additionally embrace Sweden. It formally joined on Thursday because the thirty second member, ending a long time of post-World War II neutrality. Finland had already joined NATO in April 2023 in a historic transfer after a long time of its army non-alignment.

In each nations, Russia's aggression in Ukraine triggered a dramatic shift in public opinion, resulting in their May 2022 purposes to hitch NATO.

The Nordic drill within the northern areas of Finland, Norway and Sweden entails greater than 20,000 troopers from 13 nations and kicked off on Monday. It is a part of wider workout routines referred to as Steadfast Defender 24. They are NATO's largest in a long time, with as much as 90,000 troops concerned over a number of months. They're aimed toward displaying the alliance can defend all of its territory as much as its borders with Russia.

German submariners are extra acquainted than Normandy with Norway's deep and slim fjords and the chilly Arctic waters that may complicate submarine detection, Vuong mentioned.

The drill was “extremely beneficial, because we reach a very high degree of realism and so we better prepare our teams,” he mentioned. “The fjords are a special environment, with a temperature profile different to what we know in the Atlantic.”

“To be able to train our teams here, against this threat, is extremely valuable and extremely stimulating,” he added. “This is their playing field. So they know the hiding places.”