U.S. European Command
June 5, 2023

Exercise Baltic Operations 2023 kicks off in the Baltic Sea

Nineteen NATO Allies, one NATO partner nation, 50 ships, more than 45 aircraft, and approximately 6,000 personnel kicked off the 52nd iteration of Baltic Operations 2023 in Tallinn, Estonia, June 4, 2023.

Nineteen NATO Allies, one NATO partner nation, 50 ships, more than 45 aircraft, and approximately 6,000 personnel kicked off the 52nd iteration of Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23) in Tallinn, Estonia, June 4, 2023.

This premier maritime-focused annual exercise in the Baltic Region takes place June 4-16….

“Fresh from the completion of exercise Formidable Shield 23, and concurrent with Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group operations in the North Atlantic, BALTOPS 23 commences as a tangible indication of commitment to collective defense capability across the NATO Alliance,” said Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee, commander, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) and U.S. Sixth Fleet. “We continue to meet the security challenges of today, and prepare for tomorrow, through interoperability and seamless integration in real world operations….Also, we welcome Finland’s participation in BALTOPS as a NATO Ally for the first time in 52 years of BALTOPS history….”

Participating nations include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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While the exercise is led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and U.S. Sixth Fleet, it will be command-and-controlled by STRIKFORNATO, headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal. STRIKFORNATO’s headquarters will host a large multinational coalition of liaison officers from each participating nation, working together and bringing unique personal and national strengths to the exercise’s control hub.

With anti-ICBM Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Paul Ignatius. Photo: EUCOM.