NATO exercises to defend against threats to critical underwater infrastructure
Spain is prepared to defend NATO territory ‘in any scenario’, Jesus Viñas Barciela, captain of the Spanish frigate Alvaro de Bazan, which participated in alliance-led exercises in how to counter threats to critical underwater infrastructure, told EURACTIV’s partner EFE.
In February, Dutch military intelligence services accused Russia of mapping its energy supply system from the North Sea to determine possible points where distribution could be interrupted, something that would possibly affect wind farms, internet cables and gas pipelines.
Speaking to EFE aboard the Alvaro de Bazan, currently docked at the port in Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, Viñas Barciela stressed the importance of NATO’s annual anti-submarine warfare exercise, dubbed Dynamic Mongoose.
“These are eminent anti-submarine manoeuvres,” Viñas Barciela explained after two weeks of working in “an area of major strategic interest” between Norway and Iceland.
During the exercises, Viñas Barciela said participants were meant to learn how to deal with threats to critical underwater infrastructure, awareness of which has increased since the beginning of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Submarines have a great advantage underwater since they are capable of detecting, locating, and tracking at a great distance,” he said.
“We first must be able to distract them and then carry out manoeuvres so that they pay attention to other ships and not to our valuable unit,” Viñas Barciela added.
NATO’s standing naval maritime immediate reaction forces, SNMG1, have sought a “constant and visible update of solidarity and cohesion”.
Since 24 April, it has mobilised 1,800 people and 12 ships, including the Alvaro de Bazan frigate, for “intense and challenging training” in a 200,000 square-mile area in the North Atlantic.
“We seek to improve our capabilities at an individual and collective level in anti-submarine defence and, of course, holding this exercise in this area sends a message that right now, we are prepared to act in any type of scenario,” he said.
“Capabilities are not only material – they are also our people, our crews are up to date with techniques, tactics and procedures, which, like technology, are advancing very, very quickly,” Viñas Barciela said.
When asked how Russia’s war in Ukraine has influenced Spain’s role in NATO, Viñas Barciela pointed out that the alliance’s goal has always been to keep threats at bay through deterrence.
“We are here trying to prevent that from happening to our country. Not just now because of what happened in Ukraine,” he said.
“We have spent many years far from our borders, trying to keep all threats far away. The closer they get, the more prepared we will be to deter our adversaries and defend, if necessary, tonight,” he added.
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