NATO Launches Large-Scale Exercises in the Baltic Sea Involving 20 Countries
NATO and its partners are set to begin large-scale joint exercises in the Baltic Sea, #BALTOPS23. The exercises will run for nearly two weeks, from 4th to 16th June, and will kick off in Tallinn, Estonia. Preparation for them has been underway for several days, with participating ships converging on the port of Tallinn.
This has been reported by the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa on their official website and social media platforms, as well as the Estonian Navy.
The exercises will be under the command of the commander of the US Sixth Fleet. Their aim is to improve interoperability and the coordination of allied forces. The military plans to practice all aspects of conducting combat operations at sea.
Participation in BALTOPS23 will include 19 NATO countries, one NATO partner country, 50 ships, over 45 aircraft and 6000 servicemen and women.
Inaugurated in 1972, BALTOPS are annual exercises that visibly demonstrate NATO's commitment to maintaining regional peace and security through training a group of international forces capable of reacting swiftly during a crisis. This year's exercises will for the first time incorporate robust personnel evacuation training using unmanned surface vehicles.
Participating countries include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
While Finland has long participated in BALTOPS as a significant partner, this time it is joining as a NATO member for the first time.
Although the exercises are conducted by the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa/US Sixth Fleet, they will be commanded and controlled by the NATO Naval Striking and Support Forces from their headquarters in Oeiras, Portugal.
It is worth noting that in June, large-scale exercises of NATO's air forces will also take place in Germany. They will be the largest such manoeuvres in the history of the North Atlantic Alliance.
The Air Defender-2023 exercises, led by Germany, will last ten days, from 12th to 23rd June. Almost 90% of all manoeuvres are planned over German territory and over the coastal zones of the North and Baltic Seas.
These exercises will involve approximately 250 aircraft and helicopters, around a hundred of which will be from the US Air Force.
The exercises are planned to be conducted in close coordination with civilian air traffic controllers and Eurocontrol, to ensure the manoeuvres do not cause inconvenience to civilian aviation.