NATO anti-submarine exercise to be held in Norway

Nearly 5,000 soldiers from more than 10 NATO allied nations will participate in an anti-submarine warfare exercise in Norwegian waters in early May, the Norwegian military said Thursday.

Submarines, surface ships and aircraft will operate in the exercise, dubbed "Dynamic Mongoose," from May 4 to 13 in the North Sea and Skagerrak, a strait between Norway, Sweden and Denmark, according to a statement posted on the Norwegian Armed Forces' official website.

NATO intends to practice anti-submarine warfare by air, surface and underwater capabilities as it is challenging to find submarines along the Norwegian coast, the statement said.

"Norway is an attractive place to train and practice for foreign forces," Commodore Ole Morten Sandquist, chief of the Norwegian Navy's combat force, was quoted as saying. "It is important for Norway that NATO is good for anti-submarine operations in our region."

International exercises would strengthen Norway's ability to carry out its defense tasks as realistic exercises give participants valuable skills in a multinational framework, Sandquist said.

"Norway is dependent on NATO. It is, therefore, important that NATO will come to us to practice and train. This gives us the opportunity to practice with our closest allies," he said. Endit