The NRP Arpão left the Lisbon Naval Base today in order to join the NATO Permanent Naval Force – Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2), where it will participate in Operation “Active Endeavor” and in the international exercise “Noble Mariner” in the Mediterranean, his return being planned for the month of November.
SNMG 2 is a multinational Naval Force, made up of air-naval assets from several countries of the Atlantic Alliance, which is permanently available for a wide spectrum of NATO missions, from exercises to real military operations.
Operation “Active Endeavor” is a NATO operation in the Mediterranean – unique under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty –, focused on the international campaign to combat terrorism.
Its objective is to conduct naval and air operations in the Mediterranean, focusing on deterrence, defense and protection against activities associated with terrorism.
The “Noble Mariner” exercise is a NATO naval exercise that aims to prepare and operationally certify the “NATO Response Forces” for their engagement in real scenarios, whether in essentially military operations, whether in humanitarian support operations or assistance to civilian populations.
The NRP Arpão will be the first Portuguese submarine to integrate a force of this nature and the first to participate in Operation “Active Endeavor”. The commitment of the new submarines in missions of this nature demonstrates their capacity and versatility as a means capable of controlling and defending vast maritime spaces.
Arpão is commanded by Captain-Lieutenant Baptista Pereira and its garrison consists of 33 soldiers (7 officers, 13 sergeants and 13 soldiers).
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