HMCS Charlottetown and TCG Gaziantep from Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), along with ROS Vice Admiral Constantin Balescu from Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 conducted a Passing Exercise (PASSEX) with JS Kashima and JS Shimakaze from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Training Squadron in the Eastern Mediterranean on 14 August 2024.
During the operation, the ships conducted a wide range of activities from maneuvering exercises to communications drills. A PASSEX allows Allied and Partner navies the opportunity to develop and maintain mariner skills and strengthen interoperability.
Sailors from HMCS Charlottetown, ROS Vice Admiral Constantin Balescu and JS Kashima had the opportunity to visit each other’s ships in a cross-deck exercise to enhance friendship and goodwill.
“The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has a longstanding relationship with NATO when it comes to Maritime Security. We are seeing more and more that the Indo-Pacific is important for NATO, given that developments in that region can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security,” said Royal Canadian Navy Commodore Matthew Coates, Commander of SNMG2. “Exercising with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Eastern Mediterranean is a fantastic representation of the interconnectedness between NATO and Japan. These exercises allow us to improve interoperability not only with Alliance members but also our international partners.”