Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) commenced the NATO-led enhanced Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike 23-3, which is planned to run until 10 November. Over the next 11 days, 20 Allied nations and one partner, will demonstrate the NATO Alliance’s commitment to sovereignty and freedom remains just as strong and relevant as ever as NATO executes its third iteration of Neptune Strike in 2023. The Neptune Strike series is a tangible demonstration of the power and capability of the NATO Alliance in multi-domain operations, highlighting the natural evolution of NATO’s ability to integrate the high-end maritime warfare capabilities of carrier strike groups to support the defense of the Alliance through the execution of enhanced Vigilance Activities (eVAs).
Peacetime enhanced Vigilance Activities have become routine work for STRIKFORNATO’s battle staff – generating effects in a broad spectrum of sea, air, and land domains – providing deterrence and reassurance, and offering powerful opportunities to hone Allied interoperability. Ranging from the Central Mediterranean to the Black Sea region and all the way to the Baltic Sea, STRIKFORNATO’s execution will display how NATO’s deterrence and defence posture is based on knitting together allied cutting-edge weapons systems and forces trained while highlighting in this iteration, the specific capabilities and operational reach of our European Allies’ Maritime Strike forces. In an age of global competition, the greatest responsibility of the Alliance is to protect and defend its territory and people against any threat coming from any possible direction. Neptune Strike 23-3 will show unmistakably how NATO Allies are steadfast to fulfill that unwavering responsibility.