Dynamic Manta 2026
The little sleepy town Catania on Sicily, is once again hosting a NATO exercise. The sun is there but we need to wait for the summer for its warmth. Beneath the waves of the azure sea lurks the danger: silent submarines of an enemy. In the last couple years unnamed underwater vehicles have joined them. At stake is only to keep the sea line open for free movement of trade, and friendly forces but also to keep the underwater infrastructure whether that may be the fiber cable carrying vital information or pipelines.
NATO is prepared to counter these threats. They are conducting the annual ASW exercise Dynamic Manta 2026 off the coast of Sicily. This has been always an important exercise for NATO. This year it has been shadowed by the even bigger and more published exercise Steadfast Dart 2026 held in Germany and the Baltic Sea.
Dynamic Manta 2026: NATO Refines the Art of Undersea Warfare
The 2026 iteration of NATO’s premier anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise, Dynamic Manta, has assembled one of the most diverse and technologically layered undersea warfare forces seen in recent years, reflecting the alliance’s renewed focus on the subsurface domain.
This year’s exercise brings together a formidable mix of subsurface, surface, and aerial assets operating across the central Mediterranean. The submarine force includes the Italian Navy’s Todaro-class boats ITS Pietro Venuti and ITS Romeo Romei, the Hellenic Navy’s Papanikolis-class submarine HS Katsonis, and the Turkish Navy’s Gür-class submarine TCG 1. İnönü.
Surface forces are equally diverse. Italy deployed the Bergamini-class frigate ITS Spartaco Schergat (F-589) alongside the Vulcano-class logistic support ship ITS Vulcano, while Spain contributed the Santa María-class frigate ESPS Navarra. NATO’s Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is represented by the Italian frigate ITS Virginio Fasan and the Hellenic Navy’s Elli-class frigate HS Limnos.
Above the surface, the air component provides a dense ASW surveillance network. German, British and U.S. P-8A Poseidon aircraft operate alongside Canadian and Portuguese P-3 Orion patrol aircraft, a French ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft, and Turkish P-72 platforms. Italian and U.S. naval helicopters further extend the layered detection and prosecution capability essential for modern ASW operations.
A notable innovation in Dynamic Manta 2026 is the operational integration of an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) into a high-end ASW scenario. Provided by Thales, the system is being tested against real submarines rather than simulated targets — a significant evolution from earlier experimentation-focused trials.
The concept centers on a compact dipping sonar mounted on a high-speed USV designed to extend sensor reach beyond traditional platforms or provide expeditionary ASW capability to vessels not originally configured for the mission. The foil-assisted FT8 RHIB developed by SEAir — measuring 7.65 meters in length with a 3.10-meter beam — enables high-speed transits between dipping stations while maintaining stability during sonar deployment. Its hydrofoil configuration reduces fuel consumption by roughly 30 percent and vertical motion by up to 40 percent, critical factors for sonar performance. The platform can reach speeds of 35 knots and carry payloads of approximately 1.2 tons.
According to remarks provided by Captain İsmail KOÇ, commanding officer of the Turkish submarine TCG 1. İnönü, Dynamic Manta represents one of NATO’s largest annual anti-submarine warfare exercises, organized by Allied Maritime Command and hosted by Italy in the Mediterranean.
The exercise’s live phase runs from 23 February to 6 March, during which Turkish submarine forces are participating actively alongside allied naval units.
Captain Koç emphasized that the primary aim of Dynamic Manta is to strengthen NATO maritime forces’ anti-submarine warfare capabilities in preparation for future joint defense and crisis-response operations. Training focuses particularly on missions involving sea control and maritime access denial, key elements of alliance maritime strategy in contested environments.
Opening the Exercise: NATO Leadership Sets the Tone
Dynamic Manta 2026 formally began aboard the Italian Navy frigate ITS Virginio Fasan, where senior NATO and Italian naval commanders outlined both the operational purpose of the exercise and the broader strategic importance of the undersea domain.
Rear Admiral Francesco MILAZZO, Commander of the Italian Submarine Force, opened the event on behalf of the Italian Navy as host nation. Speaking to assembled media and participants, he emphasized Italy’s longstanding role in supporting NATO’s premier Mediterranean anti-submarine warfare exercise.
Italy, he noted, has hosted every edition of Dynamic Manta and will again organize the 2027 exercise, continuing a tradition that dates back to its predecessor exercise, Dogfish. MIRAZZO recalled participating in those earlier drills as a young submarine officer in the 1990s, describing them — then as now — as unique opportunities to train high-end NATO ASW capabilities while strengthening command, control, and communication structures across allied forces.
The admiral stressed the Mediterranean’s strategic importance to alliance security and highlighted the exercise’s role in improving interoperability between air, surface, and subsurface units drawn from multiple NATO nations. Beyond traditional naval cooperation, Dynamic Manta also includes training with Allied Maritime Special Operations Forces operating alongside submarines in complex scenarios.
Italy’s contribution this year includes three ships, two submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters — a significant national commitment reflecting what MIRAZZO described as NATO’s enduring focus on the underwater dimension, an environment that remains largely unexplored yet increasingly critical for safeguarding sea lines of communication and protecting undersea infrastructure.
He also pointed to Italy’s broader national investment in underwater warfare capabilities, including the establishment of the Polo Nazionale della Subacquea in La Spezia in 2023, designed to integrate military, industrial, academic, and research efforts in developing underwater technologies. A NATO-accredited Centre of Excellence for the underwater domain is also scheduled to open there later this year, intended to advance doctrine development through a holistic approach to undersea warfare.
Concluding his remarks, MIRAZZO wished “fair winds and following seas” to the crews participating in the two-week exercise, underscoring the human dimension behind NATO’s maritime readiness.
Rear Admiral Brett GRABBE, Commander Submarines NATO at Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood, officially declared Dynamic Manta 2026 open, describing it as NATO’s premier anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Mediterranean.
GRABBE explained that submarine forces from Greece, Italy, and Türkiye would operate alongside ASW-capable surface combatants and maritime patrol aircraft contributed by ten NATO nations. Over the following two weeks, forces would train across all domains — subsurface, surface, and air — replicating real operational conditions.
Submarines would alternate roles as both hunter and hunted, while surface ships and maritime patrol aircraft practiced detection, tracking, and simulated engagement procedures. The exercise would also incorporate advanced ASW tactics, emerging underwater technologies, and covert special operations training designed to test multinational coordination under realistic at-sea conditions.
“The undersea domain is one of the most contested and decisive arenas for modern security,” GRABBE said, stressing that mastery of this environment is essential for protecting global trade routes and safeguarding more than one billion citizens across the alliance.
He added that Dynamic Manta demonstrates NATO’s collective strength, interoperability, and readiness, sending what he described as a clear and credible signal of allied cohesion in defending critical maritime infrastructure and waterways.
Rear Admiral Cristiano NARDONE, Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), then outlined the operational role of the multinational task group participating in the exercise.
Having assumed command in December, NARDONE explained that SNMG2 functions as the tactical command element responsible for coordinating multinational naval forces operating in the strategically vital Mediterranean. The group’s flagship, ITS Virginio Fasan, provides the command-and-control capabilities necessary to coordinate rotating contributions from allied navies, including Greek and Spanish surface combatants currently assigned to the formation.
Central to SNMG2’s mission, he emphasized, is interoperability — the continuous process of training, testing, and refining procedures that allow different national capabilities to operate as a single cohesive force. This process, refined through more than five decades of NATO cooperation, enables allied units to integrate rapidly during real-world operations.
During Dynamic Manta, SNMG2 surface forces will also conduct advanced scenarios involving direct submarine support to naval units, further enhancing coordination between subsurface and surface components.
“Through presence, training, and interoperability,” NARDONE concluded, “we ensure today the maritime security of tomorrow.”
In closing remarks, NATO commanders highlighted that the alliance conducts anti-submarine warfare continuously across its areas of responsibility, validating operational readiness annually through three major exercises: Dynamic Manta in the Mediterranean, Dynamic Merlin in the Baltic, and Dynamic Mongoose in the High North — each conducted in distinct acoustic environments where temperature, salinity, and water-column characteristics fundamentally affect underwater operations.
Inside SNMG2’s Flagship: ITS Virginio Fasan
Serving as the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, the Italian Navy’s ITS Virginio Fasan embodies NATO’s modern approach to multi-role maritime warfare with a strong anti-submarine emphasis.
Displacing 6,700 tons and measuring 144 meters in length, the Bergamini-class frigate combines endurance with operational flexibility. During the press embarkation, the ship’s scale becomes immediately apparent — a platform designed not only for combat but also for command, capable of hosting multinational staffs, aviation detachments, and embarked forces simultaneously.
The frigate employs a combined propulsion architecture integrating a gas turbine with four diesel generators feeding electric propulsion motors. This CODLAG arrangement allows commanders to tailor acoustic and performance characteristics to mission requirements. Electric propulsion provides quieter operation — essential during submarine hunting — while combined power enables higher responsiveness and speed when required. The ship can remain at sea for approximately 30 days without resupply.
With a core complement of 174 sailors, augmented by command staff, aviation personnel, and embarked marines, Virginio Fasan functions as both a combatant and a command platform. Its internal organization reflects NATO operational structures, enabling seamless integration into multinational task groups — a capability repeatedly demonstrated during deployments ranging from Mediterranean patrols to Red Sea operations.
Two Leonardo 76/62 Super Rapid Strales guns provide surface engagement capability, supported by Sylver A50 16 cell vertical missile launcher housing a mix of Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles. Defensive countermeasures, decoys, and torpedo systems complement the ship’s layered survivability architecture.
However, the defining feature of this variant of the FREMM design is its anti-submarine configuration. Beyond the bow-mounted sonar, Virginio Fasan carries a Variable Depth Sonar (VDS), allowing detection performance significantly superior to hull-mounted systems alone by operating below challenging acoustic layers. The frigate’s combat system suite highlights its specialization in ASW. The ship has Thales TUS 4110CL hull mounted active passive low frequency sonar, one mine avoidance sonar, Thales passive towed array, Thales Captas 4 low frequency VDS sonar and panoramic echo sounder to search, find and track underwater threats.
Hunting Below the Layer: The VDS Advantage
The ship’s ASW capability is built around a layered sonar system combining hull-mounted, variable-depth, and towed-array sensors.
At the bow, a hull-mounted sonar provides continuous underwater surveillance and initial detection capability. Complementing this is a panoramic seabed-mapping sonar used to improve environmental awareness and seabed characterization — capabilities that have also been tested during operational deployments, including shipwreck detection trials.
The frigate’s most significant advantage, however, lies in its low-frequency active and passive sonar system (LFAS), a sophisticated bistatic arrangement designed specifically for long-range submarine detection. The system employs two separates but coordinated components:
An active variable-depth sonar (VDS), deployed close to the ship, transmits low-frequency acoustic signals into the water column.
A passive towed array, streamed at significant distance behind the vessel, listens for returning echoes and submarine noise signatures.
This bistatic configuration allows transmission and reception to occur from different positions in the water, dramatically improving detection performance. By towing the passive array far from the ship, self-noise generated by propulsion and onboard machinery is minimized, increasing sensitivity to faint acoustic signals. At the same time, keeping the active transmitter closer to the vessel reduces bearing errors and improves localization accuracy.
The towed passive array itself is a large sensor — weighing more than two tons and extending nearly 100 meters — capable of operating at considerable depths without significant deployment restrictions. While exact performance figures remain classified, operators describe the system as capable of detecting contacts at very long ranges. The sonar can be safely deployed in moderate sea conditions, typically up to sea state 4, allowing consistent ASW operations across varied environments.
Because the system combines active transmission with passive listening, it enables wide-area search operations. The ship’s sensors first detect and localize a potential submarine contact across a large maritime zone; embarked helicopters are then deployed to refine classification using dipping sonar and, if required, conduct tracking or attack operations with lightweight torpedoes. In this concept of operations, the ship acts as the long-range detection platform while aviation assets provide precision engagement capability.
According to operators, the separation of active and passive components represents a major technological advantage. The arrangement reduces interference from ship noise while maintaining accurate bearing information, creating a highly effective submarine-hunting system widely regarded by its crews as among the most advanced sonar solutions currently in service.
Once a contact is classified as hostile, the frigate can engage using lightweight torpedoes launched from onboard tubes or coordinated helicopter attacks. Defensive countermeasures, including acoustic decoys, chaff, and flares, enhance survivability against both underwater and aerial threats.
The ship’s communications architecture further supports NATO interoperability, enabling connectivity through conventional radio networks, satellite communications, and secure data links. This allows seamless integration into multinational task groups — a capability demonstrated through repeated deployments in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Red Sea, as well as certification exercises with U.S. carrier strike groups and European naval forces.
Together, its quiet propulsion, advanced bistatic sonar suite, and aviation integration make ITS Virginio Fasan a cornerstone ASW platform within NATO maritime operations, capable of detecting, tracking, and countering submarine threats across large operational areas while operating as a fully integrated multinational flagship.
While warships specialized in ASW like ITS Virginio Fasan conduct the anti-submarine operations since its conception they have a big drawback. They are slow and noisy. The ships take long time to deploy to their operation area. The enemy submarines can hear them from a long distance and take evasive measures or position themselves in a favorable attacking position.
Therefore, the Anti-submarine warfare during Dynamic Manta is not conducted by surface combatants alone. Above the exercise area, maritime patrol aircraft extend the surveillance perimeter far beyond the horizon, detecting and classifying contacts long before ships or helicopters enter engagement range. Aboard a Turkish Navy P-72 maritime patrol aircraft, Captain Oğuz DUĞDELEN explained how airborne sensors integrate with NATO’s layered ASW network.
Inside the Turkish Navy’s P-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft
Speaking aboard a Turkish Navy P-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Captain Oğuz DUĞDELEN described the aircraft as the airborne equivalent of a warship’s combat information center — a platform designed to conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surface surveillance, and search-and-rescue operations within a single integrated mission environment.
The aircraft’s operations are managed through four mission consoles. A radar operator oversees sensors including radar, FLIR imaging, magnetic anomaly detection (MAD), and identification-friend-or-foe systems, while acoustic and electronic warfare operators monitor underwater and electromagnetic activity. At the center of the operation sits the tactical coordinator, effectively the mission commander responsible for evaluating the tactical picture, coordinating actions, and authorizing payload or weapon release in coordination with the aircraft commander.
“The pilot is responsible for flying safely,” Captain DUĞDELEN explained, “but mission execution — detecting, reporting, and acting on contacts — belongs to the tactical coordination team.”
The P-72’s mission systems were introduced under Turkey’s Meltem modernization program, which progressively acquired aircraft, integrated advanced mission systems, and ultimately fielded the fully equipped maritime patrol capability now in service. The command-and-control architecture was developed by Thales, integrating sensors sourced from multiple international suppliers into a unified maritime patrol platform.
Crew composition extends beyond pilots to include sensor operators, tactical specialists, and observers responsible for deploying sonobuoys, smoke markers, and rescue equipment. Observation stations equipped with bubble windows allow near-360-degree visual surveillance — a critical capability during both ASW operations and humanitarian missions.
Mission endurance typically ranges between four and six hours, depending on operational requirements. Without aerial refueling capability, sorties are carefully planned around fuel availability and operating bases.
Data collected by the aircraft is shared through NATO-standard Link-11 and Link-16 networks, enabling real-time coordination with allied ships and command centers. Unlike unmanned aerial systems, however, analysis is conducted onboard, where operators process acoustic, radar, and electro-optical data in real time before making operational decisions.
The aircraft’s Ocean Master 400 maritime surveillance radar can operate in multiple modes, supporting submarine searches, surface tracking, migration monitoring, and search-and-rescue missions. In emergency situations, crews can deploy survival equipment directly to casualties at sea, providing immediate assistance until rescue forces arrive.
Many crew members originate from surface fleet ASW backgrounds, bringing years of shipboard experience into the aviation domain. Close cooperation with submariners further refines tactics, ensuring coordination between air, surface, and subsurface forces.
“The goal,” Captain DUĞDELEN noted, “is not only air-sea cooperation, but developing tactics together with submariners as a single operational system.”
