BALTOPS 2023 Shapes Maritime Forces Rapid Response

On 4 June 2023,NATO's most significant maritime exercise in the Baltic Sea Region,Baltic Sea Operations 2023 (BALTOPS) began in Tallin,Estonia.It will run through 16 June.Partcipating will be 50 warships,over 45 aircraft,and 6,000 personnel from 20 countries.The drills are intended to demonstrate NATO's commitment to preserve regional peace and security by exercising a team of international forces that can rapidly respond to a crisis.Nations taking part include Belgium,Canada,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,the Netherlands,Norway,Poland,Portugal,Romania,Spain,Sweden,Turkiye,the UK and the US.This will be Finland's first partcipation as a NATO Ally. It is the 52nd iteration of BALTOPS.BALTOPS remains an Alliance proving ground vital for honing the edge of combined interoperability in mine countermeasures;unmanned surface vehicle operations;and integrated air and maritime operations.This version will include the first ever robust drills in peronnel recovery by unmanned surface vehicles.Another enhancement will be a military chaplain exercise that enables Sailors and Marines to accomplish the mission with honour.All drills will build on last year's scenario story lines,including the undersea and space domains,such as the integration of the NATO Space Centre for space domain scenarios.* BALTOPS 2023 is led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet,but will be command-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) out of Oeiros,Portugal.During BALTOPS 2023,NATO will exercise a myriad of capabilities demonstrating the inherent flexibility of maritime forces,to include amphibious;gunnery;anti-submarine;and air defence operations;as well as mine-clearance operations;explosive ordnance disposal;unmanned underwater vehicle capabilities;and at-sea medical responses.Command ship for the drills is USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20).A submarine from the Royal Swedish Navy,HSwMS Uppland,will play a key role in the exercise.* Overseeing BALTOPS 2023 is Vice Admiral Thomas E. Ishlee,USN,Commander,U.S. 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO;Deputy Commander,U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa;and Joint Force Maritime Commander Europe.A graduate of Officer Candidate School,Rhode Island,VADM Ishlee is highly experienced in submarine operations,having served as an officer at several levels of submarine command,including command of Submarine Squadron 11,ensuring the readiness of six fast attack submarines,amomg other tasks.He also served as Director,Global Operations at U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).VADM Ishlee's decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal;the Legion of Merit;the Meritiorious Service Medal;Navy Commendation Medal;and Navy Achievement Medal; as well as various unit and service awards that are most meaningful to him.* Deputy Commander of BALTOPS 2023 is Rear Admiral James Morely,Royal Navy.A Warfare Officer,his commands have included Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea.He is a graduate of the Advanced and Higher Command Staff Course and the United States Capstone.

Under NATO Command for Power Projection:Carrier Strike Group 10

NATO Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike 2022 (NEST 22.2) began on 14 October and was to have lasted 12 days.Actually,it was still active as of 28 October.NEST 22.2 was overseen by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) from its headquarters in Oeiras,Portugal.The focal point of the activity was the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG 10) and its integration with NATO Allies and Partners while under NATO command.This enabled the CSG to deliver effects in NATO Joint Operating Areas (JOAs) Allied Joint Forces Command (JFC) Naples,Italy and JFC Brunssum,the Netherlands,projecting Alliance cohesion through simultaneous operations in European waters.Commands throughout the Alliance came together to plan and execute all-domain real world Vigilance Activities,demonstrating NATO'S power and capability.Said Vice Admiral Thomas Ishee,commander U.S. 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO: The Neptune series is a tangible demonstration of the power and capability of the NATO Alliance in all-domain operations.Neptune Strike 22.2 is a prime example of NATO'S ability to integrate high-end maritime warfare capabilities of an Allied Carrier Strike Group,ensuring our collective capability to deter and defend.* NATO observed that,within the framework of Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA),the Vigilance Activity improved interoperability of the CSG with STRIKFORNATO;Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE);and the wider Alliance and Partners.It also generated effects in the maritime,air and land domains,providing deterrence and reassurance while offering powerful opportunities for Allied interoperability.It proves the power and cohesion of the NATO Alliance,according to Royal Navy Rear Admiral James Morely,deputy commander,STRIKFORNATO.Such Vigilance Activities ensure the appropriate strategic awareness and force readiness required to sustain the peace.* Added Rear Admiral Dennis Valdez,CSG 10 commander: The teamwork,trust and combat readiness built through these events are our competitive advantage.* As of 28 October,the CSG was transiting the Adriatic Sea,which separates Italy from Southeast Europe,during NEST 22.2.The CSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter,and if necessary,defeat our adversaries in support of national security.Indeed,the Spanish frigate ESPS Cristobal Colon (F105) accompanied the CSG during its Adriatic transit,and Rear Admiral Michael Sciretta,commander,Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) flew aboard an E/A-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft from the USS George H.W. Bush.Lieutenant Commander Sean Delaney of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 40 had given Rear Admiral Sciretta a safety check before the two-seater aircraft's flight.* Allies and Partners taking part in NEST 22.2 included Albania;Canada;Croatia;Finland;France;Germany;Greece;Hungary;Italy;Lithuania;North Macedonia;Poland;Romania;Spain;Slovakia;Sweden;Turkey;the UK and the US with more than 80 aircraft;14 ships;and around 6,000 personnel.US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets conducted patrols over Romania,which has a border with Ukraine,with Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets.During a live-fire drill,Sailors from Team Jackpot,that is,Carrier Air Wing SEVEN (CVW-7),fired 50-caliber and M240B machine guns from the George H.W. Bush.Team Jackpot was also very pleased to meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg,who mingled with them during his visit to the CSG on 25 October 2022.*