NATO-TV

Why is it so important to secure the seas? A NATO maritime commander has the answer. Mike Utley (UK Royal Navy) is the Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2. The Group is one of the standing elements of the maritime component of the NATO Response Force (NRF), held at very high readiness to form the nucleus of an NRF surface maritime task group.

Footage includes soundbites from Commodore Utley talking about the importance of NATO and the interoperability of NATO ships.

NATO explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts are passing their skills on to fellow EOD soldiers in the Jordanian Armed Forces, enhancing their ability to counter the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) both in Jordan and regionally. This is an entry-level program, focusing on the fundamentals of counter-IED doctrine: finding and disarming explosives while collecting evidence to take down the bomb-makers.

Trainers from five NATO nations (Germany, Hungary, Romania, Spain and the United States) have been dispatched from the NATO Counter-IED Centre of Excellence, based in Spain. They’re working together with trainers from the Irish Defence Forces. The course in Jordan is being sponsored by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme.

The Basic IED Search and Clearance Course started in 2017 and will conclude at the end of 2018.

Footage includes shots of Jordanian Counter-IED soldiers in bomb disposal suits searching for and neutralizing dummy IEDs; shots of explosions at normal speed and slow-motion; soundbites from US and Spanish instructors, as well as a Jordanian trainee.

Romania is an equal partner in NATO.

We protect lives. We defend our citizens and territory.

We are united with our Allies for peace and stability.

Romania is NATO, We Are NATO.

When the sun sets on the sea, so too does it set on a warship: the lights change from white to red and the officers of the watch – those entrusted to steer the ship through the night, sometimes through congested waterways – become extra vigilant.

Join Royal Navy Sub-lieutenant Nick Lockyer, a young officer aboard the survey ship HMS Enterprise, as he stands watch on a darkened bridge.

The Enterprise currently serves as the flagship of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2), which is tasked with deterring the threat of sea mines in the alliance’s southern seas. Enterprise and SNMCMG-2 were in the Ionian Sea in March 2018 for Ariadne 18, a counter-mine exercise hosted by the Hellenic Navy.

Shots include the Enterprise’s darkened bridge at night; twilight exteriors of the ship’s superstructure; the bridge at daybreak; and an interview with Lockyer.

What did NATO do in 2017 and how did it adapt to new challenges? The Secretary General’s annual report shows the broad range of steps NATO took to keep its one billion citizens safe.

From fighting terrorism to sharing defence burdens, NATO is becoming a faster and fairer alliance. The Secretary General’s annual report shows exactly what NATO did in 2017 and how it adapted to new challenges while continuing to keep its citizens safe.

Footage includes various images of NATO’s missions, operations, deployments and meetings of high level diplomats during 2017.

“Pipers have always been warriors who lead into battle,” says Private Taige Schomburg, the Canadian official piper of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Latvia.

Meet the men and women who work every day for NATO.

From soldiers to scientists, cyber experts to civilian emergency responders, NATO members are committed to supporting and protecting each other.

Private Taige Schomburg is the official piper for the enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Latvia. Bagpipes and pipers have been linked to the military for hundreds of years, whether leading troops into battle or honouring the fallen at funerals. Canada has a rich history of military pipers, including piper James Cleland Richardson who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the First World War.

Footage includes Private Taige Schomburg playing his bagpipes along Latvia’s frozen coastline.

Small, cheap and deadly – sea mines can bring maritime traffic to a screeching halt. To address this threat, NATO’s mine hunters patrol the waters 365 days a year.

Sea mines are devastating weapons. Cheap to produce and relatively easy to field, they can make shipping lanes and straits impassable to military and civilian maritime traffic. Even the threat of sea mines can bring economies to a standstill.

To address the threat of sea mines, the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Groups (SNMCMGs) patrol the Alliance’s waters 365 days a year. In this piece, the commander of SNMCMG2, which is currently charged with securing the Mediterranean Sea region, explains how NATO counters the danger of sea mines, and also how the flotilla provides a humanitarian service by neutralizing unexploded ordnance from conflicts past.

Footage includes shots of the naval group at sea; shots of mine clearance divers entering the water; shots of underwater drones; and an interview with Commander Justin Hains, UK Royal Navy, who leads Group 2. Hains will turn over command of the group in July.

About Standing NATO Maritime Groups: The four Standing Maritime Groups are multinational, integrated maritime forces made up of vessels from allied countries. These vessels are under continuous NATO command to perform a wide range of tasks ranging from deterrent presence and situational awareness to exercises and the conduct of operational missions. These groups provide NATO with an immediate operational response capability both in peacetime and in crisis.

These four groups comprise the core of the maritime component of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), providing timely maritime support to NATO operations in a contingency.

Meet the men and women who work every day for NATO.

From soldiers to scientists, cyber experts to civilian emergency responders, NATO members are committed to supporting and protecting each other.

Lt Katarzyna Tomiak-Siemieniewicz is the first female MiG-29 fighter pilot in the Polish Air Force. In this video, she discusses her role as part of NATO’s air defence Quick Reaction Alert and being an inspiration for women.

Footage includes Lt Katarzyna Tomiak-Siemieniewicz and flying the MiG-29 fighter jet.

NATO’s Close Protection Unit is made up of highly skilled and highly trained individuals. A team leader, kept anonymous for security purposes, speaks about the role of close protection agents; how they’re trained; what kinds of personality traits are required to do the job; and the need to encourage more women to apply for the job. Includes footage of simulated close-quarters firefights and protection procedures.

TEXT ON SCREEN NATO CLOSE PROTECTION AGENTS SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH ANON “There are people working at NATO who are doing their best to keep the world safe. Our job is to keep them safe. Often people get the impression that a close protection agent should be a macho type, which is absolutely not the type of person who works in the NATO Close Protection Unit. A close protection agent is trained for a lot of things, and they just need to be ready to be able to do what is expected in normal situations, in tense situations and in situations of a higher risk.” UPSOT “Contact front, contact front!” --SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)-- ANON “We are constantly developing medical skills, studying and training on weapons, improving our driving skills and communication skills. There are many highly skilled female close protection agents, but unfortunately we don’t have any working in the NATO Close Protection Unit right now. We are actively recruiting for female agents. Working as a close protection agent for NATO is a great privilege. It’s a high-profile environment with high-profile people. You are protecting men and women who are really making an impact on the world.” END

Media tags

Reference

NATO729040

Date filming

02 Apr 2018 12:00

Location

Undisclosed

Country

Undisclosed

Usage rights

This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes.

Type

Master

Meet the men and women who work every day for NATO. From soldiers to scientists, cyber experts to civilian emergency responders, NATO members are committed to supporting and protecting each other.

Major Ana Silva is the commander of the chemical, biological radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defence component in the Portuguese army.

While she is proud of being part of the army, she feels that her main mission is raising her family and demonstrating to her children through the commitment to her job that the easiest solutions are not always the best.

Footage includes various shots of CBRN specialists wearing protective suits, along with shots of Ana leading a CBRN training.