Exercise Baltops

  • Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea

Every year, the navies of various NATO member states – including the United Kingdom – descend on the Baltic Sea for Exercise Baltops: a huge multinational exercise designed to strengthen the bonds of international partnership.

 

What are we doing?

Each year, the Royal Navy sends a number of vessels to take part in Exercise Baltops, including frigates, minehunters and patrol vessels.

The exercise itself involves a range of training scenarios, based on potential real-world events and crises, in which the participants act as either the defending or opposing force.

They could involve any number of important maritime security tasks, including search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, radar tracking, and general seamanship.

Ultimately, the scenarios are designed to test the participants’ individual capabilities, as well as their overall ability to respond to threats as a combined force.

Priorities

We have come a long way since the launch of the Joint Expeditionary Force in 2014.

In 2019 we have decided that our main priority is to grow our ability to work together at sea and prove the relevance of our forces to the defence of the Baltic Sea region.

Baltic Protector

We have designed an exciting series of maritime exercises called Baltic Protector. The first military phase takes place on 24 May - 4 June off Denmark.

Working together

It is vital that we understand and have confidence in each other’s techniques and tactics and so Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and UK forces will participate and, in addition to maritime operations, our Royal Marines will be undertaking Urban Operations, live firing and parachuting.

Our allies

While JEF is willing and able to act without other nations, we also prepare to work alongside NATO, EU, UN and other allies. So we are delighted to be invited to join the US 2nd Fleet on their annual BALTOPS exercise, which forms Phase 2 of Baltic Protector.

Sea war exercise

From 9 to the 23 June, JEF forces will be in the seas off Germany and Sweden where we will conduct a sea war exercise, including Mine Countermeasure ops, naval gunfire, a beach recce and close air support.

From the sea

For our final phase, between 26 June and 8 July, we will focus on Amphibious operations, working together on several beach landings around the Baltic States.

Our legacy

This is not the first time JEF nations have exercised together, although it is the biggest maritime deployment we have mounted to date.

Friendships and working relationships will be built, confidence will grow, cultural appetites will be ignited, and solidarity will be strengthened.  

Gallery

BALTOPS fleet captured in stunning aerial photos
BALTOPS fleet captured in stunning aerial photos
BALTOPS fleet captured in stunning aerial photos
BALTOPS fleet captured in stunning aerial photos
See all 10 images

It’s not often you get to lead a column of warships, within a 40-ship formation, particularly when you’re only 20m long yourself. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Sub Lieutenant Dan Thomas
Officer of the Watch, HMS Example

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