NATO concludes its participation in Greek exercise NIRIIS 22.

According to information published by NATO on November 17, 2022, Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) concluded its participation in Greek Exercise NIRIIS 22 in Souda Bay.
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Greek Elli-class frigate Limnos. (Picture source: Hellenic Navy)

Hosted by the Chief of the Hellenic Fleet, NIRIIS 22 is a maritime exercise based on a Crisis Response Operation (CRO) scenario for NATO, European Union, Mediterranean Sea, and Partnership for Peace nations.

The exercise was held in Hellenic territorial and international waters and comprised various maritime activities including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare, force protection, maritime interdiction operations, and mine countermeasure operations.

The exercise ran Nov. 7-12 and culminated in a complex and robust fictitious tactical scenario exercise demonstrating NATO’s interoperability at the maritime-component level.

SNMG2 ships that participated were U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), Spanish Navy guided-missile frigate ESPS Cristobal Colon (F 105), and German Navy tanker FGS Spessart (A 1442).

Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) participated with elements from its task group as well: Royal Netherlands Navy minehunter HNLMS Vlaardingen (M863), Belgian Navy minehunter BNS Narcis (M923), Spanish Navy minehunter ESPS Duero (M35), Portuguese Navy patrol vessel NRP Viano de Castelo (P360) and Italian Navy minesweeper ITS Chioggia (M5560).

On the Greek side, four frigates (including the frigate Limnos) with their helicopters, three submarines, four fast-guided missile patrol boats, two general support ships, three minesweepers, one armored ship, warfare vessels, marines, F-4 and F-16 fighter aircraft of the Air Force and a patrol boat of the Coast Guard participated.

About the frigate Limnos

Limnos (F451) is an Elli-class frigate of the Hellenic Navy, and the third Greek warship to bear the name. The class is based on the Royal Netherlands Navy's Kortenaer class and was built in a Dutch shipyard; however, unlike later members of her class in the Hellenic Navy, she was not originally in Dutch service, but was sold directly to Greece.

Limnos was constructed in Vlissingen, Netherlands, along with her sister ship Elli. The contract for her construction was signed in Athens in July 1981 and her commissioning took place on 18 September 1982. After commissioning, Limnos joined the Hellenic Fleet on 5 November 1982 and since then she has actively participated in its activities.

The frigate has a length of 130 m (426 ft 6 in), a beam of 14.6 m (47 ft 11 in), and a draft of 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in). She can reach a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).

Limnos can carry a complement of 196 sailors and is armed with two OTO Melara 76 mm/62 cal. guns and two Mk15 Phalanx 20 mm Close-In Weapon System (CIWS).