Allied Maritime Command Naples

The command of NATO's countermeasures group responsible for naval mine operations and training in the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Aegean has been transferred from Romania to Türkiye.

Turkish Naval Capt. Kürşat Kurnaz assumed the command from Romania's Capt. Sebastian Barote during a ceremony held at the Mine Fleet Command in the Turkish coastal city of Erdek.

The statement said that the goal of the visit is "strengthening defense relations in the region and strengthening maritime security in the waters of NATO member states."
The U.S. ship, it is added, is the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2).

The national maritime exercise Breeze 2019 has begun. The military exercise will last until July 21. The military headquarters based in Varna has named the zones of the military exercise in the Bulgarian aquatory and the exclusive economic zone of the Black Sea.