Military-led submarine hunt commences near Iceland under NATO's supervision

Chilling the Deep with Dynamic Mongoose

It's time to dive into the icy waters off the coast of Iceland, as NATO'sFormidable Phantom, codenamed Dynamic Mongoose, kicks off! This jaw-dropping underwater warfare extravaganza lasts a fortnight, starting from April 28, 2025, and continues deep into the chilly northern spring.

Iceland, the frozen gem in the North Atlantic, invites the world's military elite as the gracious host, with the Icelandic Coast Guard leading the charge. This exercise is no one-man show – nine nations are in on the action, with SNMG1 (Standing NATO Maritime Group One) stealing the spotlight. While the lineup of participating countries remains a top-secret, Iceland proudly stands as their gracious host, ably supported by NATO's MARCOM (Allied Maritime Command).

The battle for the High North begins in the icy waters of Faxaflói Bay but won't stay there for long. The heart of the action will gradually move towards Norway as the games progress, encompassing the strategic and crucial GIUK-N gap (Greenland-Iceland-UK-Norway maritime chokepoint). This move emphasizes NATO’s deliberate focus on bolstering submarine detection and interdiction capabilities along northern sea lanes.

Dynamic Mongoose, however, isn't just a drapery of camouflage and missile strikes. The exercise provides crews with ample opportunities to don their detective hats and play the "hunter" – tracking down elusive underwater adversaries – and the "hunted" – pulling off daring evasion tactics in the abyss of the sea.

Submarine Warriors tough it out in deep waters, mastering the art of ghosting beneath the surf, all while eluding their surface counterparts.
Surface Ships and Aircraft coordinate their efforts, drawing on cutting-edge technologies to detect nascent threats hiding beneath the waves.
Maritime Patrol Aircraft fly high, providing valuable reconnaissance and acting as the eyes in the sky, ready with lethal force when required.

This high-stakes exercise aims to demonstrate NATO's strength and determination in defending its domains, especially in critical Arctic-adjacent regions. Battleships, submarines, aircraft, and even helicopters take to the sea and the skies, bent on demonstrating their prowess and ensuring the alliance’s ability to take on any undersea threats that dare to arise. The curtains close on the exercise on May 9, but the memories of the stealthy sub-hunt will linger long after the final splash.

[1] BBC News. (2025). Dynamic Mongoose 2025: NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise begins. [Online]. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61448310[2] Defense News. (2025). NATO anti-sub exercise Dynamic Mongoose gets underway in Icelandic waters. [Online]. Available: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/04/30/nato-anti-sub-exercise-dynamic-mongoose-gets-underway-in-icelandic-waters/[3] CNN. (2025). NATO submarine exercise Dynamic Mongoose kicks off in Icelandic waters. [Online]. Available: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/30/europe/nato-dynamic-mongoose-submarine-exercise-iceland-intl/index.html[4] CNN Military and Defense. (2025). Take a glimpse at Dynamic Mongoose 2025, NATO's anti-submarine warfare exercise. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnn.com/specials/nato-dynamic-mongoose-2025-anti-sub-warfare-exercise/[5] IHS Jane's Defense Weekly. (2025). NATO's Dynamic Mongoose: Anti-submarine warfare gets the spotlight in the Arctic. [Online]. Available: https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/nato-s-dynamicmongoose-anti-submarine-warfare-gets-the-spotlight-in-the-arctic

The highly anticipated anti-submarine warfare exercise, Dynamic Mongoose, initiated in Iceland, involves Tromp, a Dutch warship, contributing to the exercise along with eight other nations.
Interestingly, General-news outlets worldwide reported on the commencement of Dynamic Mongoose in the icy waters off Iceland, which aims to boost NATO's defense capacities and submarine detection capabilities, especially in the strategically significant GIUK-N gap.
As part of the exercise, warships, including Tromp, will coordinate their efforts to locate hidden adversaries in the deep waters surrounding Iceland, ultimately proving NATO's resilience and readiness against undersea threats.