Numerous warships, including 5 aircraft carriers belonging to NATO countries, are holding exercises in the Atlantic region and the Mediterranean.
According to the statement made by NATO, many warships and warplanes accompany the aircraft carriers of the USA, Britain, Italy and France during the exercises held throughout November.
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, considered the world’s newest and largest warship, also participates in the exercises, in which thousands of soldiers take part. Other aircraft carriers are USS George HWBush, British HMS Queen Elizabeth, French Charles De Gaulle and Italian Cavour.
These aircraft carriers were reportedly accompanied by other warships from Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Greece, Italy and the United States.
In addition to combating submarines and air combat maneuvers, naval supply activities were carried out during the exercises. In addition, warplanes took off from an aircraft carrier and landed on other aircraft carriers.
US SHIP IN ENGLAND, BRITISH SHIP IN OCEAN
It was stated that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier went to England after the exercises, and the HMS Queen Elizabeth ship carrying F-35 aircraft left Portsmouth port and conducted exercises in the north of the Atlantic Ocean.
It was noted that France’s Charles De Gaulle ship was conducting patrols in the Mediterranean and counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East, while the Italian Cavour and the US USS George HW Bush aircraft carriers were in the Mediterranean.
It has been reported that planes departing from the George HWBush ship have made patrol flights in Lithuania and Poland in recent weeks.
NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said these missions and deployments demonstrate NATO’s ability to rapidly reinforce allies and deploy forces within NATO’s borders.
Lungescu stated that aircraft carriers act as a deterrent and communication lines are open at sea.
Russian Planes Approach 75 Meters
On the other hand, NATO reported that two Russian warplanes unsafely approached NATO Permanent Naval Group 1 ships carrying out routine operations in the Baltic Sea.
It was stated that in the incident on 17 November, Russian warplanes did not respond to the communications of the allied forces and passed within 75 meters of the ships at an altitude of about 100 meters.
It was emphasized that the interaction of Russian aircraft with NATO forces is a behavior that can lead to miscalculations, mistakes and accidents. (AA)