“We’re trying to instill a law enforcement culture to naval forces,” said Italian Navy Cmdr. Corrado Campana, the director of training support. “We’re creating a mindset [and] a culture of law.”
NMIOTC stresses proficiency in typically military skills such as marksmanship and weapons handling, but the school also teaches how to respond to a crime scene, collect evidence, and treat suspects or prisoners. Everything they do has legal implications. Improperly following procedures or adhering to the law can result in suspects being released or court cases dismissed, or even the prisoners suing the boarding team.
What sets NMIOTC apart from other training opportunities is simulation training and ships dedicated for training. According to Hellenic Navy Cmdr. Spyridon Lagaras, the chief of staff at NMIOTC, the 2,500-ton ex-HS Aris (A 74), formerly the Hellenic Naval Academy cadet training ship, serves as a realistic platform for live training for a variety of boarding scenarios.
NMIOTC’s simulators can create multi-role scenarios that can be repeated if required, and programmed to simulate anticipated operations, serving as mission rehearsal. Those missions can then be rehearsed aboard the Aris.
The ship is equipped with smoke, flashing strobes, booby traps, noise to create confusion, and role players to be rescued, detained or captured. Trainees use weapons that fire small paint pellet rounds. During the course of training, the difficulty and complexity of the scenarios can be increased. There are numerous cameras to monitor progress of training evolutions, ensure safety, and provide video for debriefing. When the teams leave they take with them a DVD with the video of their training. Aris will soon be joined by a decommissioned mine countermeasures ship, the ex-HS Alkyon (M211), which is at NMIOTC now and being modified for live training.
Training is adapted for the requirement, the teams being trained, and the anticipated operating environment, Lagaras says. The most dangerous boardings are conducted only by special operations forces (SOF); ship VBSS teams are drilled in lower-risk consensual or unopposed boardings, or in some cases uncooperative boardings.
NMIOTC’s simulators can create multi-role scenarios that can be repeated if required, and programmed to simulate anticipated operations, serving as mission rehearsal. Those missions can then be rehearsed aboard the Aris.
U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Adam Chamie and Hellenic navy Ensign Alexander Tsaltas conduct a boarding exercise aboard the Hellenic navy training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center during Eurasia Partnership Capstone 2012, Souda Bay, Greece, Dec. 11. Annually hosted by the U.S. Navy, EPC aims to increase maritime safety and security through workshops and seminars. Nations participating in EPC included Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Ukraine, and the United States. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher B. Stoltz
NMIOTC has an international and joint staff, with Greece as the hosting nation, and is one of seven NATO training facilities. It received accreditation in 2013 by Allied Command Transformation, which is good for six years, and contributes directly to force integration and interoperability within the alliance and partner nations. The “just in time” training supports Allied Command Operations for units who are on their way to conduct actual MIO operations.
It also has a role in concept and doctrine development and experimentation.
“We operate with several academia, academic and research institutions, not only within the alliance but also outside.
We like to keep our door open to see what’s happening outside,” says Campana.
When commands can’t visit Crete, the training can be exported with mobile training teams from NMIOTC, but would not get the full benefit of the assets and resources at the center.