IRIA News

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NATO Allies are conducting an advanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise in the High North, Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 25. NATO naval and air forces are participating in the exercise from April 28 to May 9, 2025, in the waters surrounding Iceland.

Hosted by the Icelandic Coast Guard and directed by NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), the exercise brought together Allied naval and air forces to enhance undersea warfare capabilities and reinforce transatlantic collaboration.

This year’s Dynamic Mongoose exercise includes surface ships, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters from multiple NATO nations, including Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

During the exercise, participating forces engaged in complex, real-time drills designed to locate, track, and engage submarines in a multi-threat environment. NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) warships also took part in the exercise.

The exercise took place within the strategically vital Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom-Norway (GIUK-N) Gap. According to the NATO statement, the region’s cold and unpredictable conditions at this time of year allowed crews to practice tactical submarine warfare operations in a challenging environment.

Assistant Chief of Staff, Submarines at MARCOM, Royal Navy Captain Steven McAllister said, “Dynamic Mongoose is an extremely important anti-submarine exercise in the High North which provides an excellent opportunity for NATO Allied nations to train together and build upon our already impressive interoperable capabilities.”

Captain Steven McAllister further highlighted that the GIUK gap is a vital maritime crossroad, and NATO’s Allied Maritime Command operations will safeguard freedom of navigation in the area, uphold operational readiness, and reinforce security rooted in shared values across the maritime domain.

During the course of the exercise, participating navies will alternate roles between hunter and hunted, challenging their crews to adapt to rapidly shifting tactical situations. Maritime patrol aircraft will support these operations by conducting reconnaissance, surveillance, and coordinated attacks against simulated adversary submarines.

NATO SNMG 1 Commander, Commodore Arjen S. Warnaar emphasized that “Dynamic Mongoose 2025 is a very beneficial exercise for Standing NATO Maritime Group 1. It brings a varied array of NATO Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities together, and it does that in the crucial GIUK-N gap, where NATO requires an effective counter to the submarine threat. In this way, Dynamic Mongoose 2025 provides our air, surface and sub surface units a very realistic Anti-Submarine Warfare training opportunity. An opportunity which we will put to good use.”

Exercise Dynamic Mongoose

Dynamic Mongoose is NATO’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) exercise. It is held annually to enhance the readiness of NATO maritime crews, preparing NATO forces to respond and adapt to threats across all domains, from the ocean floor to space.

The exercise offers valuable opportunities for submarine crews to practice evasion and defensive maneuvers beneath the surface, while simultaneously testing the skills of surface ships and aircraft tasked with detecting and neutralizing submarine threats.

The NATO MARCOM statement noted that maintaining secure sea lines of communication and monitoring submarine activity remain central priorities for NATO, with Iceland’s strategic position in the GIUK Gap playing a crucial role in safeguarding North Atlantic security.

The main purpose of the exercise is to ensure that NATO crews are prepared to respond to threats posed by submarine and sub-surface forces and demonstrate that the Alliance stands ready to defend all NATO states.

“From icy waters and harsh weather to evolving tactical challenges, Dynamic Mongoose 25 will demonstrate the skills, professionalism, and adaptability of NATO’s maritime forces,” the statement added.