From September 27, 2020 to November 11, 2020, the Belgian navy participated, with frigate F930 Leopold I, in the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). The SNMG is an integrated, multinational naval Immediate Reaction Force unit, made up of warships and their associated helicopters, from various allies under the direct command of NATO. WO Jozef Vanden Broeck reports on Belgian Navy’s Facebook page.

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NH90 NFH RN-03 is about to land on Belgian frigate Leopold I (Picture source: Belgian Navy)

The mission of this IRF is versatile, ranging from participation in multinational exercises, disaster assistance to the execution of operational missions in international conflicts. During this SNMG1 period, an NH90 NFH helicopter from the Koksijde air base was on board of the Leopold I frigate.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus aboard the ship and helicopter, the crews of the ship and the NH90 NFH helicopter were quarantined in early September. After a medical check-up and a compulsory covid-19 test, our RN03 and its crew embarked, on Friday September 25, 2020, aboard the frigate in the port of Zeebrugge. On Monday, September 28, 2020, the ships of SNMG1 - the Belgian frigate Leopold I, the Portuguese frigate NRP Corte Real and the Canadian frigate HMCS Toronto - set out at sea for a period of almost two months.

NH90 NFH RN-03 on Belgian frigate Leopold I (Picture source: Belgian Navy)

Having an NH90 NFH on board is an important advantage for the frigates of the Belgian Navy. The helicopter, equipped with various sensors and weapon systems to support maritime missions, ensures the increased detection capabilities of the frigate. They form a kind of additional dimension. On the other hand, this embarkation provided an ideal opportunity for the crews of the 40th Squadron to train while operating from the helicopter deck of the ships.

NH90 NFH RN-03 parked on Belgian frigate Leopold I (Picture source: Belgian Navy)