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NATO Strengthens Anti-Submarine Defenses in North Atlantic as Russian Naval Presence Grows.
In a context of heightened security tensions in Northern Europe and the Atlantic, NATO is actively strengthening its anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The Dynamic Mongoose 25 exercise, held in April 2025 off the coast of Iceland, reflects the Alliance’s intent to consolidate its operational advantage in a domain that has become increasingly central: anti-submarine warfare (ASW). This major training event, led by NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) and hosted by the Icelandic Coast Guard, is part of a broader collective defense strategy focused on securing maritime communication lines, monitoring northern approaches, and countering Russia’s growing naval activity.
In recent months, a series of incidents in the Baltic and North Seas—including severed undersea cables and suspected pipeline damage—have highlighted the vulnerability of maritime networks to sabotage or intimidation (Picture source: NATO)
The choice of operational zone is highly strategic. The “GIUK Gap”—Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom—forms a natural maritime barrier between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic. During the Cold War, this corridor was already a key area for detecting and intercepting Soviet submarines seeking to access the Atlantic’s deeper waters. Today, the rapid modernization of Russia’s submarine fleet, combined with renewed operations in the Barents Sea, the Arctic, and the Norwegian Sea, gives this corridor renewed strategic relevance. Recent military assessments indicate an increase in Russian submarine patrols in the area, including nuclear-powered platforms such as the Yasen and Borei classes, which are capable of launching cruise or ballistic missiles from considerable depths.
In response, NATO has deployed to Dynamic Mongoose 25 a wide range of air, surface, and subsurface assets from nine member states: Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The exercise features anti-submarine warfare surface vessels, submarines operating in tactical scenarios, embarked helicopters equipped with sonobuoys and torpedoes, and maritime patrol aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon. These interconnected platforms are engaged in complex scenarios involving passive and active target detection, multi-sensor tracking, coordinated attacks, as well as evasive maneuvers by submarines.
Crews are required to adapt constantly, switching between hunter and target roles. This approach enhances understanding of opposing tactics and tests the resilience of NATO doctrines against adversaries capable of disrupting communications, operating in acoustic silence, or striking from unexpected locations. In this demanding environment, weather conditions play a critical role—frigid temperatures, unpredictable currents, and complex underwater topography all complicate detection and engagement operations.
Royal Navy Captain Steven McAllister, in charge of submarine operations at MARCOM, emphasizes that the GIUK Gap is a “critical maritime crossroads” where NATO must maintain freedom of action. Dynamic Mongoose is designed to uphold a high level of interoperability between Allied navies, ensure the continuity of command structures in multi-domain combat scenarios, and validate evolving ASW techniques, particularly in light of new technologies such as autonomous systems, acoustic decoys, and electronic countermeasures.
Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1), the Alliance’s rapid reaction naval component, also takes part in the exercise, contributing frigates and destroyers equipped with advanced sonar systems. Its commander, Commodore Arjen S. Warnaar, underlines that the range of capabilities deployed in Dynamic Mongoose 25 provides a credible and realistic response to the evolving submarine threat in the High North.
Modern undersea warfare increasingly extends beyond direct engagements to include hybrid operations targeting critical infrastructure. In recent months, a series of incidents in the Baltic and North Seas—including severed undersea cables and suspected pipeline damage—have highlighted the vulnerability of maritime networks to sabotage or intimidation. In response, NATO launched a dedicated monitoring mission in the Baltic in January 2025, marking a new phase in securing Europe’s seabed infrastructure.
Dynamic Mongoose 25 allows NATO forces to train for scenarios that include both submarine tracking and the protection of undersea infrastructure, while also improving coordination between different military branches in a hybrid conflict environment. Iceland, due to its geographic location at the heart of the GIUK Gap, plays a pivotal role in this effort. Its cooperation with NATO naval powers reinforces the effectiveness of maritime surveillance across North Atlantic approaches.
Ultimately, Dynamic Mongoose 25 reaffirms the centrality of anti-submarine warfare in NATO’s strategic priorities. As Russia continues to modernize and deploy its submarine fleet in areas vital to the Alliance’s interests, the exercise demonstrates the importance of regular, realistic, and multi-domain training. It also highlights the Allies’ ability to operate collectively in complex environments, integrate new technologies rapidly, and maintain maritime stability in the face of increasingly sophisticated underwater threats.