NATO’s Baltic Sea search and rescue drill Dynamic Mercy concluded on Wednesday, May 10.
The two-week exercise was divided into six challenging aeronautical and maritime training scenarios.
In total, nine Rescue Coordination Centres (RCC’s) comprising of joint, maritime and air centres from eight NATO countries and partners with adjacent search and rescue regions participated.
Military and civilian air and maritime assets from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden collaborated and interacted together during the training scenarios.
NATO says the aim of exercise Dynamic Mercy is to practice and develop inter-regional and cross boundary cooperation and coordination between the RCCs of allies in NATO’s northern region with Partner Nations that have common search and rescue region (SRR) boundaries with those of Allies. The exercise is held annually, either in the Atlantic or the Baltic Region, this year focusing on the Baltic.
During this year’s exercise, through live and synthetic SAR scenarios, cross region cooperation and interaction between RCCs (military and civilian) and mobile SAR units were tested and activated. These coordinated procedures are vital for common understanding of multiple national services, and crucial for rescuing lives at sea.
“Dynamic Mercy is an extremely important exercise for NATO, as it enables NATO to work side by side with RCCs, SAR units, civilian agencies, and companies from different countries and regions,” said Captain Colin Walsh , Chief of Staff for Commander Maritime Air NATO. “ NATO annual oversight and coordination ensure a consolidated effort in Search and Rescue, contributing to a better understanding of the complex SAR environment due to the multiple actors involved.”