Combat Fleets

During March 2005, what was reported by NATO as the "world's largest antisubmarine warfare (ASW) exercise" took place in the Ionian Sea. The annual exercise, dubbed Noble Marlin, included participation by submarine, surface, and air forces from Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Six submarines, along with a number of surface ships, fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters, took part in the exercise, proving that even in today's world of littoral operations and transformation, antisubmarine warfare is still a paramount concern for maritime forces around the world.

Though not taking part in the Noble Marlin exercises, Poland's ex-Norwegian Type 207-class submarine, the Bielik, began operating this past January as part of NATO's Operation Active Endeavor campaign again terrorism in the Mediterranean Sea. The deployment of the Bielik marks the first time since World War II that a Polish submarine has conducted regular operations in the Mediterranean.