NOCTO announces 23-nation Maritime ExerciseNorthern Council launches world's largest maritime exercise in Mad Dog Ocean.Naval Officers of the participating nations during a press conference in Turtle Bay, Keymon.Commander of the Maritime Group Artania, Admiral Reineke Von Rotemburg announced the commencing of the world's largest international maritime exercise, Exercise Leviathan Wedge, carded for the Mad Dog Ocean, Keymon and Valruzia. According to Von Rotemburg, 23 nations, more than 45 surface vessels and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 45,000 personnel are expected to partake in the unique training opportunity crafted to foster and sustain cooperative relationships which have henceforth been viewed as critical to ensuring the safety and openness of the interconnected seas. The first of its scale and magnitude, the Levianthan Wedge exercise is the brain-child of Admiral Reineke Von Rotemburg (DN), Vice-Admiral Andreas Lorentzen (KN), Admiral Royce Sansouci (RHN) and Rear Admiral Jean-Philippe Bruguière (RLN) who believed that through interconnected cooperation, the High Seas could remain areas of peace. The exercise's umbrella theme, according to Admiral Von Rotemburg is "Adaptation in a Changing High Sea". Participants will exercise a wide range of disciplines and tactics. These disciplines range from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and simulated combat with separate exercises focusing on missile defence, anti-submarine, counter-piracy and mine clearance.
The exercise includes forces from Alduria, Cobura, Deltaria, Dolgava, Dorvik, Egelion, Hawu Mumenhes, Hulstria, Hutori, Kalopia, Kanjor, Kazulia, Keymon, Likatonia, Lourenne, Luthori, Mordusia, New Endralon, Rildanor, Rutania, Talmoria, Telamon, Valruzia. The exercise is marking the first time the Northern Council Treaty Organisation has conducted an alliance-wide maritime exercise with the inclusion of foreign partners and other nation states. Apart from that, it marks the first time Coburan, Deltarian and Kalopian surface combatant vessels and staff have participated in exercises in the Northern Hemisphere and according to statements from General Anthony Bishop, Chief of Staff of the Joint Headquarters, it is expected that the three nations will be participating in more exercises alongside the alliance for many years to come. The exercise, apart from its core purpose to promote cooperation, serves as a platform for nations to display their military prowess and technological achievements to the world. The exercise is set to feature a live firing exercise whereby combatant vessels and naval aviation from the respective participants would see to destroy various targets including a decommissioned Mashacara class Destroyer (retired Hutorian Navy) and a decommissioned Torgersen-class frigate. According to Vice Admiral Steinar Rindal, Commander of the Kazulian Contingent, the Kazulian Navy would be unveiling its recently acquired Dovani-3 anti-ship missile to the world whereby it will demonstrate its perniciousness in combat.
Vice Admiral Steinar Rindal wrote:This exercise is more than just an opportunity for nations to cooperate with each other. Yes there are different faces and cultures, however the paramount purpose is to forge new relationships through various avenues. The interoperability of this alliance is a quality no one can match, thus as we move forward with this exercise the sentiment of interoperability is always present in all decision making.
The Joint Headquarters has established a temporary Joint Operations Centre (JOC) in Turtle Bay, Keymon where staff from Dorvik, Hutori, Kazulia, Lourenne, Valruzia, Luthori, New Endralon and Keymon are expected to support command and control over the various forces participating in the exercise. According to the Joint Headquarters, Admiral Reineke Von Rotemburg serves as Task Force Commander, serving as the exercise's supreme commanding officer; Admiral Niklas Ronningen serving as Task Force Deputy Commander, serving as supreme commander officer over the Multinational Naval Aviation Component; Lt. General Alan Terry of the Hutorian Marine Corps serves as Multinational Forces Commander, serving as supreme commanding officer over the amphibious warfare exercises within Exercise Leviathan Wedge. According Major-General Lubosław Starzynski, Director of the Information Management Headquarters, the IMHQ is also participating in the exercise alongside intelligence-gathering resources among the alliance. Brigadier Arnold Mathiesen of the Kazulian Armed Forces' Cybernetic Security Management Centre (CSMC), the Information Management Headquarters will be simulating high-level information transfers between various forces to simulate a combat communication scenario. Major-General Starzynski had invited participating nations to allow for their "spy ships" to participate in the exercise as a means of testing the IMHQ's capabilities.