Military honours for Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - YouTube - BTB-concept - Federal Chancellery,Berlin,Germany - 24 APR 2024

Military honours were rendered for the inaugural visit of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom.The honours company is provided by the 4th company (marines) of the guards battalion.The honours formation is led by the company commander,Ms.Captain Kruggel.The Bundeswehr Staff Music Corps played under the direction of Mrs.Captain Holtzschuh.Because of its history as a seafaring nation,the BMVg protocol had decided that Navy uniforms would be worn.The Inspecter General,General Carsten Breuer,was in the delegation.Pro-Palestinian demonstrators were in the street.

Northern Coasts 23:Defending the Baltics from Enemy Attack

About 30 warships and 3200 military personnel from 14 nations are carrying out an annual exercise intended to enhance defence of the Baltic Sea Region.It will concentrate on high-end warfare and collective deterrence and defence by NATO Allies,NATO said.The drills began on 9 September and last two weeks.Said Dylan White,acting NATO spokesperson:Seven-soon to be eight-NATO Allies border the Baltic Sea,so the area is of critical importance to our Alliance.Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has radically altered the security situation in the Baltic Sea,and NATO has substantially increased its defensive presence in the region at sea,onland and in the air.Exercises like these send a clear message that NATO stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory.*The two weeks of drills are currently underway,including amphibious operations;air defence;strikes from sea to land;and securing sea lanes.Participating are Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1,as well as military personnel from Allies Belgium,Canada,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Latvia,Lithuania,the Netherlands,Norway,Poland,Partner Sweden and the US.Germany is leading the manoeuvres.The drills are also featuring participation of land and air forces from the 14 nations.The scenario of the exercise simulates a Russian attack on the Baltics,according to ERR News (Estonian Public Broadcasting).*Vice-Admiral Jan Chrisitian Raack,commander of the German Navy,told Reuters that warships will practise sea lane defence primarily off the coasts of Estonia and Latvia.Germany is also commanding the operation from its new Maritime Command Headquarters at the city of Rostock on the Baltic Sea.Said VADM Raack:Finland and the Baltic States depend to almost 100% on the maritime supply routes through the Baltic Sea.*For its part,the US Navy is contributing the USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19),an amphibious transport dock of the San Antonio-class.*Rostock is on the Bay of Mecklenburg,an arm of the Baltic Sea.The city is in the German state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.The new HQ will reportedly serve as NATO's go-to HQ for Baltic Sea Region defence.* Please excuse any delays as this blog experienced an outage while writing this post.

Dynamic Guard:Electronic Warfare/Anti-Ship Missile Defence

NATO Exercise Dynamic Guard 2022-01 wrapped up on 25 February 2022 off the coast of Norway,even as Russia's war on Ukraine was ramping up.The bi-annual drills are an electronic warfare series providing tactical training that helps build and maintain proficiency in maritime electronic warfare and anti-ship missile defence for the NATO Response Force and national units,Allied Maritime Command said.The five-day exercise showcased the Allied Forces' skills in quick integration of maritime patrol aircraft;submarines;helicopters;and warships.Those participating were Denmark,Germany,the Netherlands,Norway and the US.* The Joint Electronic Warfare Core Staff (JEWCS) provided specialised radar jamming and communications equipment to the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 flagship Federal German Ship Berlin.Besides the Berlin,the Royal Danish Navy's HDMS Peter Willemoes;Royal Netherlands Navy's HNLMS Van Amstel;and US Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 72) and USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) participated in the drills.All of the ships practised gunnery,and the Royal Norwegian Air Force Falcon aircraft and planes from Draken Europe simulated air defence scenarios.Draken's modified Dassault Falcon 20 business jets act as paltforms for electronic warfare and naval gunnery training and other target facilities for the UK Ministry of Defence,U.S. Air Force Europe and Air Forces Africa,and NATO.The exercise involves increasing degrees of complexity for electronic warfare and anti-ship missile defence.The layered defence concept is critical to all NATO Forces in their highly contested environments.Said USS The Sullivans CO Commander James Diefenderfer: This exercise allowed us to plan,integrate and operate the full range of activities we need for electronic warfare,anti-ship missile defense and logistics in a complex environment.* SNMG1 is part of the core maritime capability of NATO'S Very High-Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.*

NATO Goes Big and Bold for the Baltic Sea Region

BALTOPS 2020, one of the largest military exercises in Northern Europe,got underway on 7 June 2020 and runs till 16 June.Warships from 17 NATO Allies and 2 Partners will be enhancing flexibility and interoperability in order to elevate preparedness for an international crisis.It is the 49th iteration of the expansive drills.*
On 8 June, the US Navy's Command and Control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) served as a platform for an MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 (HSC-28), while the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Otto Sverdrup (F 312) transited the Baltic Sea,as did the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and the German Navy replenishment oiler FGS Rhoen (A 1443). Indeed,a German Navy Mk88 H Super Lynx helicopter flew over the Mount Whitney the same day.The multi-role chopper ranges from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to search and rescue and utility missions.*
About 3,000 troops,28 naval vessels and 28 aircraft are participating from 17 NATO Allies and 2 Partners from the following nations:
Canada, Denmark, Estonia,Finland, Germany, Greece,Italy,Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the UK and the US.*
HQ for the drills is Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) in Lisbon, Portugal-an historic first for the exercise.NATO'S own AWACS planes will coordinate some of the air manoeuvres, the Alliance said.*
According to the Royal Navy, the drills will concentrate on core naval warfare tasks such as air defence;ASW; and mine-hunting.Frigate HMS Kent and minehunter HMS Ramsey are spearheading the RN contribution to BALTOPS.Ramsey's CO LTCR Joel Roberts explained that:
In these uncertain times, continuing to deliver on operations is essential in protecting collective NATO and UK interests, and BALTOPS demonstrates our enduring commitment to strengthen our combined understanding, diverse range of capability, and ability to respond to emerging threats.*
HMS Kent had recently conducted joint drills with the US Navy in the Barents Sea off Russia.Adept at ASW, the Kent combines passive underwater sensors and presently a Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron to hunt and,if need be, eliminate submarine threats.In this exercise,HMS Kent will be ready to deal with multiple threats from aircraft, boats
 and submarines with her cutting edge suite of sensors and weapon systems for detection and engagement.
Said CO CDR Matt Sykes:
In these turbulent times,it is also vitally important that we demonstrate our commitment to the Region and to upholding the principles of freedom of access to the Baltic Sea.*