Allied navies train during Exercise Sea Shield 18

The Spanish frigate Victoria's boarding team performs personnel controls,  following NATO regulations during a multinational boarding operation training,  part of exercise Sea Shield,  May 8,  2018,  in the Black Sea. NATO participates in SEA SHIELD 18,  a national Romanian exercise based on a Crisis Response Operation scenario to conduct and evaluate Anti-Submarine Warfare,  maritime traffic control,  countering illegal activities at sea,  assistance to vessels in distress,  defensive anti-air warfare. -NATO Photo by NIC Edouard Bocquet

BLACK SEA - Naval assets from five Allied nations and the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 are training maritime capabilities and anti-submarine procedures in the Black Sea from May 7 to 13, 2018, as part of Exercise Sea Shield.

The Regele Ferdinand F221, a Romanian frigate, and Victoria F-82, a Spanish Frigate, conducted a boarding operation scenario on May 8th.

The Ferdinand played a commercial ship with disturbances on board requesting assistance from the Victoria. Victoria sent a team of security personnel to inspect the Ferdinand and conduct boarding operations. Once on board, the Spanish Navy conducted control techniques to safely check and secure the vessel. They apprehended a hidden passenger and secured suspicious items.

"The Romanian Navy provided a good scenario for our boarding team today," said Lieutenant Castillo, boarding team leader from the Spanish Navy. "It's very important to train with our Allies; we all have common doctrine but each country gives a little different part of view."

Romanian Naval Forces host Exercise Sea Shield annually and open their doors to Ally and partner nations to improve interoperability amongst NATO naval forces.

Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office