A NATO ship intercepted and monitored a powerful Russian warship as it passed through the Mediterranean.
The Spanish Navy’s frigate “Cristóbal Colón” (F-105) tracked the Russian Federation’s frigate “Admiral Gorshkov”, as it was navigating in the Eastern Mediterranean, en route to the Syrian port of Tartus.
The Cristóbal Colón was participating in operation Noble Shield, part of NATO‘s Standing Naval Group number 2 (SNMG-2), deployed in the central and eastern Mediterranean, when the interception happened, according to the Spanish Ministry of Defence.
The Admiral Gorshkov is equipped with high-precision hypersonic Zircon missiles and is “capable of delivering precise and powerful strikes against the enemy at sea and land,” according to the Russian defence ministry.
Thankfully the incident passed off peacefully and the warship later continued on its way.
Such interceptions are carried out to maintain the NATO deterrence, to ensure freedom of navigation, and to be prepared to guarantee the sovereignty and territorial integrity of allied countries if necessary.
NATO’s SNMG-2 keeps a continuous training program at sea while carrying out enhanced surveillance and maritime security activities throughout the Mediterranean.
The Spanish Ministry of Defence said in a statement that during its integration into “Noble Shield”, Cristóbal Colón contributes to operations by providing its air defence and detection capability, thanks to its AEGIS combat system and SPY-1D (V) multifunction radar.
It also has a Marine Corps Security Operational Team and an Embarked Air Unit responsible for operating and maintaining the SH-60B helicopter.
NATO’s Standing Naval Forces, which include two escort groups and two mine countermeasures groups, provide allies with a permanent maritime presence with key areas of operation are the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Baltic, Northern Flank, and Southern Corridor, from the Strait of Hormuz to the Suez Canal, including Somalia’s coasts.
The statement said: “With this deployment, Spain and the Navy reinforce their commitment to the Alliance, as well as solidarity with other NATO member countries, thereby supporting deterrence and collective defence at sea.”