Chisinau, Apr 6 (FN Bureau) Romania will host NATO’s multinational naval exercise Sea Shield in the Black Sea and the Danube Delta from April 8–21, the Romanian Defense Ministry said on Friday. “The Romanian navy will organize the Sea Shield 24 multinational exercise from April 8–21 that will involve 12 allies and partners … More than 2,200 military personnel and 135 technical means (27 sea and river vessels, 17 aircraft and 91 vehicles and boat) will undergo training in the Black Sea, in the coastal zone, on the river and in the Danube Delta,” the ministry said in a statement.
Military personnel will perform missions on sea and river control, land and sea searches, providing aid to the rescue in distress and ensuring critical infrastructure security, according to the statement. The drills will bring together Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and the United States. Other force groups of the Romanian military and structures of the national defense system will be involved in the drills as well, the statement said. NATO described the goal of the drills as “to boost coordination for military naval operations and regain control over important sea lines of communication.” The first Sea Shield exercise was held in Romania in 2015 and its scenarios are constantly adapted to current regional security and stability agenda.