From 10 to 24 February the 2010 edition of NATO’s largest and most important anti-submarine exercise took place. The exercise took place from Wednesday 10 February in the Ionian Sea, southeast of Sicily, and involved forces from 10 NATO nations (Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States) who provided 6 submarines, 8 surface naval units and 18 aircraft and helicopters. Planned by the Headquarters of the Allied Naval Component Naples, Noble Manta was conducted by the Submarines Allied Naval Forces South (SUBSOUTH) and Maritime Air Naples (MARAIRNAPLES) commands. Hundreds of hours of flight, dozens of aircraft deployed and the activities at sea carried out by the Naval Units and the submarines participating in the exercise represented a considerable organizational effort for NATO and especially for Italy, as the host country. The ‘Noble Manta’ consists of a series of activities focused on underwater operations and anti-submarine warfare and aims to improve the capabilities of the forces through joint training, familiarization with NATO procedures, and the opportunity to learn from each other. These exercises also aim to validate doctrine and new equipment while training the forces to carry out missions and roles typical of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and current operations such as counter-terrorism and piracy.
The ‘Noble Manta 2010’ exercise demonstrated NATO’s determination to maintain and improve capabilities and interoperability in coordinated anti-submarine operations, surface force counter-measures, and coastal surveillance through the use of multinational forces. The exercise was divided into four linked and consecutive cycles to provide equal opportunities for participants within a realistic operational environment. The submarines reversed their roles during each cycle to practice defensive and offensive tactics. New to previous editions, during the final cycle the surface units returned to port so as to create a silent environment in which submarines and aircraft had to manage, alone, a submerged threat—a typical situation of the initial phase of a real operation, when surface naval units are not yet present. Another novelty of the 2010 edition was the period of ‘free play’ during which the Commanders had to make individual decisions on how to conduct the mission assigned to them. The success of the exercise is measured by the progressive improvement of the participants’ capabilities and interoperability during its execution, which included ten days of combined anti-submarine operations involving ships, aircraft and submarines, ten days of antagonistic activity between the submarines and over 100 flight missions.
The exercise was conducted under the direction of the Command of the Allied Naval Component in Naples (Cc-Mar Naples). The air base of Sigonella, headquarters of the 41st Anti-Submarine Squadron, commanded by Colonel Luca Tonello, was the coordination center from which all fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft operated. Moreover, thanks to the use of electronic data from all the assets involved, the collection and ‘real-time’ analysis of all missions carried out was carried out. The data collected showed that the Italian crews of the 88th Group of the 41st Squadron stood out particularly for the excellent results achieved during the exercise, obtaining a high number of submarine detections and successfully completing all assigned missions. In light of all these data, the important results achieved become clear, especially considering the age of the Italian aircraft used, the Breguet Atlantic BR-1150. In this context, the crews demonstrated high professionalism and a high spirit of self-sacrifice: qualities typical of the anti-submarine component, essential for defending against a highly discreet threat, always on the alert, especially for a nation like Italy surrounded almost exclusively by the sea.
Commander of the Naval Component of the Naval Component Naples, Rear Admiral Maurizio Gemignani, congratulated the crews of the naval and air units for having been able to make the most of the important training opportunities provided by this exercise, which is unique for its characteristics. “The Noble Manta has allowed us to put into practice, with excellent results, missions that could have been entrusted to the NATO Response Force, among which the conduct of coordinated anti-submarine operations between air, naval and underwater forces in the context of an emerging crisis, in a situation that does not allow the immediate use of coercive means to deal with the underwater threat,” stated Rear Admiral Gemignani.
Rear Admiral John M. Richardson, COMSUBSOUTH, was tasked with overall control of the underwater and naval forces, which included the NATO Second Permanent Maritime Group, and the integration of air operations. Rear Admiral David J. Mercer, COMARAIRNAPLES, oversaw the exercise’s air operations through a team deployed at Sigonella. In expressing his appreciation to the participating forces, Admiral Richardson said: “The great commitment made in meeting the challenges posed by Noble Manta has allowed each participant to benefit from realistic and effective training. ‘Noble Manta’ has once again proven to be a vital tool for maintaining and improving interoperability among allied forces in all those aspects of maritime operations and modern warfare that involve the use of submarines or the defense against them.‘ The addition this year of a ’free play” phase within the scenario has contributed to achieving the necessary training levels. The exercise has allowed the submarines, which operated with and against naval and air forces, to carry out a full spectrum of potential missions, from imposing a maritime embargo to operations of the type normally carried out, also in support of the fight against terrorism.
