HNLMS Den Helder departed from the port of Den Helder on 31 October. The Combat Support Ship is the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1. Friends and family of the crew waved the ship off from the quay.
Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) is a rapidly deployable NATO maritime task group responsible for safeguarding NATO territory and maintaining maritime security at sea. Its area of operations covers the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean west of Europe and the Baltic Sea.
SNMG1 operates under the command of a French staff based on board HNLMS Den Helder. The task group also comprises three French Navy ships and one ship each from the Canadian, German, Portuguese and Danish navies. Its missions include deterring Russian threats in northern European waters and monitoring and protecting critical subsea infrastructure, such as data cables and gas pipelines.
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Replenishment at sea
HNLMS Den Helder provides logistical support to SNMG1, supplying the frigates and destroyers with fuel, ammunition, food and water. In addition to their assigned missions, the NATO allies conduct exercises to maintain combat readiness and strengthen interoperability.
According to the current schedule, HNLMS Den Helder is expected to return to its namesake port in approximately two months.
Photo: HNLMS Den Helder leaving the Port of Den Helder on 31 October (photo Dutch Ministry of Defence).
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