“SEA SHIELD 19”- THE LARGEST NATO EXERCISE FROM THE BLACK SEA REGION-BEGINS

The Romanian Naval Forces organize the largest multinational naval exercise - SEA SHIELD 19 - over 5-13 April 2019, in the territorial waters of Romania and international waters of the Black Sea.

14 Romanian military ships and six military ships from Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, Netherlands and Turkey, with the participation of approximately 2,200 troops, who will exercise joint combat procedures against underwater, surface and air defence threats, adapted to the types of threats emerging in the Black Sea Region.

The scenario of the exercise is fictitious and aims at planning and conducting a Crisis Response Operation (CRO), under the mandate of a Resolution of the United Nations’ Security Council (UNSC), in the context of a security environment characterized by symmetric and asymmetric threats.

The Romanian Naval Forces, as host, deploy an impressive force structure within Exercise “Sea Shield 19”. Two corvettes, two frigates, two minesweepers, two missile-carrier boars, two maritime ships for combat divers, three maritime tugboats, an EOD detachment (specialized in the fight against underwater threats), two mobile missile launching detachments and other support vessels as well as distinct specialized structures (243 Radar and Surveillance Brigade, 11 Communications and Information Technology Center, the Maritime Hydrographic Directorate, the Center for the Information Technology and Cybernetic Defence) that will provide ground-based support will participate in this exercise under the command and coordination of the Fleet Command.

The Romanian Air Forces ensure the combat sequences against the air defence threats with the help of the MIG 21 LanceR and F-16 aircraft, while the American and Turkish naval forces will operate two maritime patrol boats.

The Romanian Land Forces participate in the exercise with a detachment of the 9 “Mãrãșești” Brigade, for the protection of the ground communication ways and of Constanța Harbor.

NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) designated the Standing Naval Maritime Group (SNMG-2), which operates in the Black Sea starting March 28, 2018, to participate in Exercise “Sea Shield 19” . The SNMG-2 is made up of Bulgarian, Canadian, Dutch, Romanian and Turkish ships. Also, Greece and Bulgaria are represented in the exercise by a combat ship.

The foreign military ships are to enter Constanța Harbor on Saturday, April 6, 2019 (the date scheduled for the official opening ceremony of Exercise “Sea Shield 19”) at the Passenger Terminal, in the presence of the Chief of the Naval Forces Staff, Rear Admiral Alexandru Mîrºu.

Official visits and working sessions to discuss the organizational details of the sea sequences planned to be conducted will take place during the two day-stopover in the harbor.

Al participant ships will start sailing on Monday, April 8, for a week, when they will synchronize their efforts with a view of accomplishing the goals of Multinational Exercise “Sea Shield 19”.

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“Sea Shield 19” will overlap two important anniversaries of the Euro-Atlantic community scheduled to take place in April. The first anniversary marks the celebration of 70 years since the establishment of NATO, in April 1949, when 12 states from Western Europe and North America set up the political-military alliance by signing, at Washington, the North-Atlantic Treaty, in order to maintain peace and defence of its own independence, though political solidarity and an adequate defensive military force, able to deter and, when necessary, respond to all potential forms of aggression against it or the member states, based on Article 5 of the Treaty with respect collective defence, based on the principle “an attack against one Ally is considered an attack against all Allies ".
The second anniversary moment is marked by the celebration of 15 years since Romania became a full-fledged NATO member.

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The civilian journalists interested in producing media materials about Exercise “Sea Shield 19”, will be offered the following opportunities:
- The exercise opening ceremony, which is to take place on Saturday, April 6, 14.00, at the passenger terminal from Constanța Harbor; at the end of the ceremony, the chief of the Naval Forces Staff and other Romanian officials will make short press statements;
- embarking onboard of “Mãrãșești” Frigate and navigating on sea, in the areas of operations of the exercise, on Monday, April 8, 07.00; debarking the same day, around 18.00, in Constanța military harbor;
- images, air photos and correspondence from onboard the vessels will be sent to all accredited journalists via e-mail, on Friday, April 12, after 16.00.

The Press Office