NATO forces recently held the submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Manta, bringing together naval assets and personnel focused on enhancing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities through complex, coordinated operations.
Lasting from late February through mid-March 2025, Dynamic Manta operations involved submarines taking turns hunting, being hunted and closely coordinating with air and surface participants. Six submarines from France, Greece, Italy, Türkiye and the United States participated, alongside surface ships. Maritime patrol aircraft from Canada, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the U.S., as well as maritime patrol helicopters from France, Italy and the U.S. took part. Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, commanded by Turkish Navy Rear Adm. H. Ilker Avci, supported the exercise. Italy hosted the exercise with logistical support from Naval Air Station Sigonella and Augusta Naval Base.
“Exercises like Dynamic Manta help NATO maintain the edge when it comes to anti-submarine warfare,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Bret Grabbe, commander submarines NATO. “By practicing coordinated operations against both conventional and advanced undersea threats, NATO continues to demonstrate its commitment to safeguarding the strategic waterways that connect member states.”
Dynamic Manta 25 built on the experience of previous exercises, incorporating new tactics and technologies to ensure NATO’s forces remain proficient in undersea warfare. The exercise prepared submarine crews to respond to threats below the surface, providing complex warfare training to improve interoperability and proficiency in both anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.
A notable aspect of the 2025 iteration was the collaboration with Allied maritime special operations forces (SOF). This iteration included a Greek SOF team embarked on an Italian submarine to conduct its mission, representing only the third time submarine assets worked with Allied maritime SOF since the exercise’s inception in 2013. This cooperation enhanced the Alliance’s operational effectiveness and demonstrated the capability of Allied SOF teams to work with submarines from different nations.
In addition to showcasing NATO’s military capabilities, Dynamic Manta served as a platform for testing and refining new tactics and technologies. The exercise incorporated lessons learned from previous exercises and integrated technological advancements in undersea warfare, ensuring that NATO’s forces remain capable of addressing emerging threats in the maritime domain.