NATO submarine search exercise begins off Iceland

A major NATO submarine search exercise, Dynamic Mongoose , began off the coast of Iceland today and will continue for the next two weeks. Iceland serves as the host nation, and the Icelandic Coast Guard emphasizes the importance of participating in such operations.

The annual exercise involves multiple NATO member states and aims to enhance collective capabilities in anti-submarine warfare. Today, the Icelandic Coast Guard’s helicopter squadron and the crew of the patrol vessel Freyja were among those actively taking part.

Several foreign naval units are involved, including the Dutch frigate Tromp and a German diesel-powered submarine. These vessels arrived in Iceland last week and will gradually move the exercise area toward Norway as the operation progresses.

“This year’s exercise starts here in Iceland but will steadily shift toward Norwegian waters,” said Ásgeir Erlendsson, spokesperson for the Icelandic Coast Guard, in an interview with mbl.is .

Simulating a real-world scenario

Today’s operations included submarine tracking by the Coast Guard’s helicopter unit, during which a diver was deployed from the helicopter to the submarine and recovered again, simulating a real-world engagement scenario.

An extensive component of the exercise also takes place at Keflavík Airport, where personnel from the Coast Guard’s defense division are operating within a designated security zone.

The exercise runs until May 9 and is organized jointly by the Icelandic Coast Guard, the Defense Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and NATO’s Naval Command in Northwood, United Kingdom.