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.

Networked Warfare: Exercise Sea Breeze 2020

Bi-lateral US-Ukraine Naval Exercise Sea Breeze 2020 got underway in the Black Sea on 20 July and runs until 26 July.NATO'S Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 is taking part with it's three frigates from Romania,Spain and Turkey.On 20 July, tactical manoeuvring drills were held.*
Participating in SB20 are 27 ships,19 aircraft and some 2,000 personnel from eight countries: Bulgaria, Georgia,Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and the US.Multiple warfighting skillsets will be covered in the challenging scenarios:
Maritime Interdiction operations;air defence; anti-submarine warfare; damage control; and search and rescue.*
According to CDR Craig Trent,CO of guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78):
These exercises will allow us to learn and grow from our partner nations, increasing our interoperability and overall effectiveness as a fighting force.*
Besides the Porter,a P-8A Poseidon Maritime Surveillance Aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 will participate, for a total of about 400 US Sailors.*
SB20 is the twentieth iteration of the drills, which aim to increase capability and strengthen regional security.It is the USS Porter's third mission in the Black Sea this year.The Porter is forward-deployed to Rota,Spain along with three other US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to support US national security interests in Europe and Africa.*
After the Exercise,SNMG 2 will conduct a patrol toward the Mediterranean Sea, enhancing regional stability.Ukraine is providing military and civilian infrastructure of the Black Sea coast in support of the event;while the US is helping financially, technologically and by providing hardware.*
The Black Sea Region is seen as a critical area of interest by Russia, which illegally occupies Ukraine's Crimea and parts of Georgia in the region.Hence Alliance networked attack operations and long-range strike operations are reportedly within the unspoken substance of the drills.*
Sea Breeze 2020 is being overseen by RADM Oleksii Neizhpapa, Commander of Naval Forces,Armed Forces of Ukraine; and VADM Gene Black, Commander,U.S. 6th Fleet.*

Busy February:NATO Increases Maritime Forces in the Black Sea

In a move described by the US Navy as proactive rather than reactive,NATO has made a point of thoroughly exercising its maritime forces in the Black Sea this month.The activity is overseen by Allied Maritime Command,which is headquartered in Northwood,Slough,UK.The multinational HQ there is crewed by 300 officers,petty officers and civilians,all under the command of Royal Navy Vice Admiral Peter Hudson,who is the prime maritime advisor to the Alliance.The Command plans and executes all NATO maritime operations,including the Counter Piracy Operation Ocean Shield in the Mediterranean.It also directs Operation Sea Guardian,with tasks in support of maritime situational awareness;upholding freedom of navigation;conducting interdiction tasks;maritime counter terrorism;and contributing to capacity building. *
On 30 January,warships of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 cruised through the Bosphorus Straits to enter the Black Sea with Royal Navy destroyer and SNMG2 flagship HMS Duncan and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep joining the ships of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2.The two patrols emphasised NATO's maritime presence in the Sea with drills increasing interoperability among the Groups and Allied nations that operate in the Sea.Both Groups,a total of six warships,made a port call at Constanta,Romania from 1-4 February as part of operations supporting national sovereignty through collective defence.
There were courtesy calls with local civilian and Naval authorities;as well as planning for further interoperability exercises with the Romanian Navy after departing Constanta and public tours of the warships.*
The SNMG2 currently consists of HMS Duncan;Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand;and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep.SNMCMG2 includes RN survey ship HMS Enterprise;minesweeper ROS Lt.Lupu Dinescu;and mine-hunter TCG Akcay.Prior to the port call,the two Groups patrolled both the Mediterranean and the Black Seas,conducting passing exercises (PASSEX) and operations.Both Groups are part of the NATO Reaction Force,providing crucial skill sets to keep sea lanes and ports open during a crisis.They stage a wide range of multinational drills with NATO Allies and partners to enhance operability and maintain warfighting skills.*
As part of the PASSEX activity,a PASSEX with the Bulgarian Navy was staged.One of its highlights was a boarding exercise with participants from the Romanian Navy and the Royal Marines.Previous to the Bulgarian PASSEX,there was a PASSEX with the Romanian Navy as well,including an intense air defence drill,or ADEX,in which one or two Romanian Mig 21 aircraft flew over Allied warships off the shore of Constanta.*
At the conclusion of the Maritime Groups' exercises,the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) entered the Black Sea on 17 February,joining the USS Ross (DDG 71).According to USN 6th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Christopher Grady:
We operate at the tempo and timing of our choosing in this strategically important region.By nature,ships are flexible,mobile forces,and the Navy is uniquely capable of providing credible and capable forces to defend our national interests throughout the world.*
It is the first time since July 2017 that two USN warships have operated simultaneously in the Black Sea.Both guided missile destroyers are forward-deployed to Rota,Spain as part of a group of four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.