BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) is an annual military exercise, held and sponsored by the Commander,

United States Naval Forces Europe The United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF), is the United States Navy component command of the United States European Command and United States Africa Command. Prior to 2020, NAVEUR-NAVAF was previously referred to as United ...

, since 1971, in the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

and the regions surrounding it. The purpose of BALTOPS is to train

gun A gun is a device that Propulsion, propels a projectile using pressure or explosive force. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns or water cannon, cannons), or gas (e.g. light-gas gun). So ...

nery, replenishment at sea, anti-submarine warfare (ASW),

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

tracking & interception, mine countermeasures,

seamanship Seamanship is the skill, art, competence (human resources), competence, and knowledge of operating a ship, boat or other craft on water. The'' Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford Dictionary'' states that seamanship is "The skill, techniques, o ...

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

, maritime interdiction operations and scenarios dealing with potential real world crises and maritime security.

BALTOPS in the 1980s and 1990s

In 1985, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 14, was tasked with exercising freedom of navigation in the Baltic and U.S. support for Northern European NATO countries. The mission of the first BALTOPS was to 'show-the-flag' to maintain the U.S. right to sail in international waters even those in the Soviet Union's backyard. BALTOPS '85 added the objective of increasing the U.S. Navy's tactical proficiency in a strategically vital and challenging sea and air environment. To do this, Commander Destroyer Squadron 14 was assigned a Surface Action Group of six ships: , , , , , and . In late June 1990, Rear Admiral Thomas D. Paulson, Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group Two, led and to visit Poland in conjunction with BALTOPS '90. Their port call at

Gdynia Gdynia is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With an estimated population of 257,000, it is the List of cities in Poland, 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in the Pomeranian Voivodeship after Gdańsk ...

represented the first visit by United States Navy vessels to Poland since 1927. Since 1993 it has been a major contributor to the

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

programme

Partnership for Peace The Partnership for Peace (PfP; ) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) program aimed at creating trust and cooperation between the member states of NATO and other states mostly in Europe, including post-Soviet states; 18 states are ...

, which aims to strengthen and create trust amongst

former Soviet Union The post-Soviet states, also referred to as the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet republics, are the independent sovereign states that emerged/re-emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to their independence, they ...

states (

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

) its former satellites (

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

and

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

) and NATO. All these states have since joined NATO. Common participants are (but not limited to):

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

(commanding country) The 26th annual maritime exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) '98 in the Western

took place from June 8–June 19, 1998. During the exercise, the commander, Carrier Group Eight, commanded the exercise from USS ''Vella Gulf''.

BALTOPS 2008 (36th)

BALTOPS 2008 took place between 8 June to 18 June 2008. Its objective was to promote mutual understanding, confidence, cooperation, and interoperability among the forces and personnel of the participating nations, as well as support national unit and staff training through a series of exercises. BALTOPS 2008 included surface warships, submarines, aircraft, and ground forces from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Rear Admiral Daniel P. Holloway supervised BALTOPS 2008, and the guided-missile cruiser served as his

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

during this exercise. ''Gettysburg'' was accompanied by the guided-missile destroyer and the fleet oiler as part of the U.S. Navy's Task Group 369.4. Following BALTOPS 2008, the ''Cole'' paid a port visit to

Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, on 27 June 2008, and ''Gettysburg'' paid a post-exercise port visit to Kiel, Germany. ''Gettysburg'' returned to Naval Station Mayport, Florida, on 14 July 2008, completing this two-month-long 2008 surge deployment for Carrier Strike Group Twelve.

BALTOPS 2009 (37th)

On 16 June 2009, USNI bloggers took part in a DOD Bloggers Roundtable with Rear Admiral John Christenson, USN, Commander of Carrier Strike Group 12, the ''Enterprise'' carrier strike group. The topic of the call was BALTOPS 2009. According to DODLive, “BALTOPS 09 is a joint operation that allows personnel from partner nations to prepare for disaster relief efforts, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping efforts.” Moreover, according to DODLive, “this is the 37th anniversary of Exercise BALTOPS and includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.” BALTOPS 2009 participating vessels: * HDMS Glenten (P557) * HDMS Makrelen (P554) * HDMS Esbern Snare (L17) * HDMS Thetis (F357) * HDMS Peter Tordenskiold (F356) * HMS St Albans (F83) * FGS Elbe (A511) * FGS Karlsruhe (F212) * FGS Hameln (M1092) * FGS Puma (P6122) * FGS Nerz (P6124) * FGS Zobel (P6125) * USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98) *

USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) USS ''Mount Whitney'' (LCC/JCC 20) is one of two amphibious command ships of the United States Navy and is the flagship and command ship of the United States Sixth Fleet. USS ''Mount Whitney'' also serves as the Afloat Command Platform (ACP) of ...

BALTOPS 2011 (39th)

BALTOPS 2011 occurs from 3–17 June 2011 among NATO and Partnership for Peace participants. Led by the United States, BALTOPS is a USEUCOM directed, COMUSNAVEUR sponsored, and

United States Sixth Fleet The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixt ...

executed exercise. The primary planning and execution commander is Commander Carrier Strike Group Eight. The mission of BALTOPS 2011 was interoperability among forces and personnel of participating national unit and staff training objectives through a series of robust training exercises. BALTOPS 2011 participating countries include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. BALTOPS 2011 participating vessels: * EML Ugandi (M315) * HDMS Absalon (L16) * HDMS Havkatten (P 522) * HNLMS De Ruyter (F804) * HSwMS Gävle (K22) * HSwMS Sundsvall (K24) * Leopold I (F930) * RFS Minsk (127) * ORP Generał Tadeusz Kościuszko (273) * FGS Schleswig-Holstein (F216) * LKL Sūduvis (M52) * USS Philippine Sea (CG-58)

BALTOPS 2015 (43rd)

17 countries took part in BALTOPS which started on 5 June and lasted till 20 June. Allied participation demonstrates NATO's resolve to defend the Baltic region, and will hone the ability of Allies and partners to work together. Participants include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. BALTOPS 2015 participating vessels: * EML Sakala (M314) * EML Tasuja (A432) * HDMS Peter Willemoes (F362) * HDMS Niels Juel (F363) * HDMS Absalon (L16) * HDMS Hirsholm (MSD-5) * HDMS MSF-1 *

HMS Iron Duke (F234) HMS ''Iron Duke'' is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, and the third ship to bear the name. ''Iron Duke'' has intercepted several large consignments of illegal drugs being sent from the Caribbean to Europe. In her only combat mission, she ...

* HMS Quorn (M41) *

HMS Ocean (L12) HMS ''Ocean'' was a Landing platform helicopter, Landing Platform Helicopter, formerly the UK's helicopter carrier and the Royal Navy Fleet Flagship, fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. She was designed to support amphibious landing operations ...

* HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337) * HSwMS Malmö (P12) * HNoMS Otra (M351) * HNoMS Rauma (M352) * FNS Hämeenmaa (02) * LVNS Virsaitis (A53) * HNLMS Makkum (M857) * HNLMS Urk (M861) * HNLMS Zierikzee (M862) * HNLMS Willemstad (M864) * HNLMS Luymes (A803) * ORP Bukowo (632) * ORP Mewa (633) * ORP Resko (637) * ORP Mamry (643) * ORP Wigry (644) * ORP Lublin (821) * ORP Gneizno (822) * ORP Kondor (297) * TCG Göksu (F497) * HSwMS Sundsvall (K24) * FS Eridan (M641) * FS Somme (A631) * MV Blue Capella * LNS Skalvis (M53) * LNS Kuršis (M54) * LNS Žemaitis (P11) * FGS Lübeck (F214) * FGS Braunschweig (F260) * FGS Hemerlin (P6123) * FGS Wiesel (P6129) * FGS Hyâne (P6130) * FGS Auerbach (M1093) * FGS Fehmarn (A1458) * FGS Donau (A516) * USS Vicksburg (CG-69) * USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) * USS San Antonio (LPD-17)

BALTOPS 2020 (49th)

BALTOPS 2020 took place from 7–16 June 2020 among NATO and Partnership for Peace participants. The exercises were concluded by the

. BALTOPS 2020 participating countries include Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. BALTOPS 2020 participating vessels: * EML Sakala (M314) * EML Wambola (A433) * FNS Purunpää (41) * FGS Werra (A514) * FGS Donau (A516) * FGS Lübeck (F214) * FGS Rhön (A1443) * LVNS Tālivaldis (M-06) * ORP Druzno (641) * LNS Aukštaitis (P-14) * LNS Skalvis (M53) * HMS Ramsey (M110) * HNoMS Otto Sverdrup (F312) * HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337) * HNMLS Urk (M861) * HNLMS Zierikzee (M862) * USNS Supply (T-AOE-6) * USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) *

BALTOPS 2022 (51st)

A total of 14 NATO nations, including NATO partner nations Finland and Sweden, took part in the 51st BALTOPS exercise between 5 and 17 June 2022. The usual mine hunting exercise was augmented this year with U.S. experimental mine hunting

unmanned underwater vehicle Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), also known as underwater drones, are submersible vehicles that can operate underwater without a human occupant. These vehicles may be divided into two categories: remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROUVs) an ...

s and the collection of environmental data for target recognition algorithms, in conjunction with the

Naval Undersea Warfare Center The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) is the United States Navy's full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support center for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, and offensive and defensive weapons ...

and

Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific), formerly the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific or SSC Pacific), the Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center (NCCOSC) RDT&E Divis ...

. BALTOPS 2022 was shadowed by two Russian Karakurt-class corvettes. Investigative journalist

Seymour Hersh Seymour Myron Hersh (born April 8, 1937) is an American investigative journalist and political writer. He gained recognition in 1969 for exposing the My Lai massacre and its cover-up during the Vietnam War, for which he received the 1970 Pulitzer ...

alleged in his newsletter that during the exercises, the U.S. Navy planted explosive charges on the Nord Stream pipelines, resulting in their explosion later that year. The U.S. government denied this claim, calling it "utterly false and complete fiction." As of February 2023, according to

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

, no other media outlet has corroborated Hersh's allegations. In October 2024, the Swiss newspaper ''

Die Weltwoche ''Die Weltwoche'' (, "The World Week") is a Swiss weekly magazine based in Zürich. Founded in 1933, it has been privately owned by Roger Köppel since 2006. The magazine's regular columnists include the former president of the Social Democrati ...

'' wrote an article implicating the and other US Navy ships from BALTOPS 22 in the Nord Stream sabotage without referring to Hersh's allegations. BALTOPS 2022 participating vessels: * HMS ''Defender'' (D36) * HMS ''Archer'' (P264) * HMS ''Charger'' (P292) * HMS ''Explorers'' (P164) * HMS ''Exploit'' (P167) * HMS ''Ranger'' (P293) * HMS ''Smiter'' (P272) * USS ''Kearsarge'' (LHD-3) * FNS ''Uusimaa'' * HSwMS ''Nyköping'' (K34) * USS ''Mount Whitney'' (LCC-20) * USS ''Porter'' (DDG-78) * ORP ''Toruń'' * German frigate ''Sachsen''

BALTOPS 2023 (52nd)

BALTOPS 2023 took place from 4 to 16 June 2023.

BALTOPS 2024 (53rd)

BALTOPS 2024 took place from 4 to 20 June 2024. It was the largest BALTOPS exercise ever held and the first one to have all participants being NATO members (after Sweden joined NATO).

Gallery

File:East German frigate Berlin underway on 1 October 1985 (6409381).jpg,

East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...

Koni class frigate ''Berlin'' underway during NATO Exercise BALTOPS '85, on 1 October 1985 File:USS Harry E. Yarnell (CG-17) docked at Gdynia, Poland, on 27 June 1990 (6457711).jpg, USS ''Harry E. Yarnell'' at

during BALTOPS '90 File:HMS Smyge front.jpg, HSwMS ''Smyge'' underway during BALTOPS '94, on 7 June 1994 File:US Navy 040611-N-1823S-244 The Polish Lublin-class minelayer ORP Poznan, opens its ramp in preparation to receive U.S. Marine Reservists on a Zodiac combat raiding raft.jpg, ORP ''Poznań'' during BALTOPS '04 File:US Navy 050606-N-5258M-011 Russian destroyer RFS Nastoychivyy (DD 610) is currently underway participating in Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2005.jpg,

Russian Navy The Russian Navy is the Navy, naval arm of the Russian Armed Forces. It has existed in various forms since 1696. Its present iteration was formed in January 1992 when it succeeded the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States (which had i ...

''Nastoychivyy'' underway during BALTOPS '05 File:Finnish Rauma-class missile boat FNS Naantali (PTG 73).jpg,

Finnish Navy The Finnish Navy ( , ) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS", short for "Finnish Navy ship", but ...

''Naantali'' underway during BALTOPS '08 File:US Navy 100608-N-3970R-426 The amphibious command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC-JCC 20) and the Russian navy landing ship Kaliningrad (LSTM 102) are underway in formation on the second day of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise.jpg, USS Mount Whitney during BALTOPS '10 File:A Pilatus PC-9 aircraft simulates an airborne chemical attack against the Royal Danish Navy ocean patrol vessel HDMS Thetis (F357) in the Baltic Sea June 13, 2013, as part of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2013 130613-N-ZZ999-034.jpg, A

Pilatus PC-9 The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft designed and manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Developed as a more powerful evolution of the preceding Pilatus PC-7, the PC-9 features an enlar ...

simulates an airborne chemical attack against the Royal Danish Navy HDMS Thetis (F357) during BALTOPS '13, on 13 June 2013. File:180609-N-TJ319-0139 (42734546251).jpg, TCG ''Gediz'' and HDMS ''Iver Huitfeldt'' during BALTOPS '19, on 9 June 2019 File:KDM Søløven (Y311) at anchor in the Baltic Sea on 16 June 2019 (190616-N-FC670-005).JPG,

Royal Danish Navy The Royal Danish Navy (, ) is the Naval warfare, sea-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Denmark, Danish territorial waters (incl. Faroe Islands and ...

patrol vessel A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and they ...

''Søløven'' at anchor during BALTOPS '19, on 16 June 2019 File:Lithuanian minesweeper Skalvis (M53) underway in the Baltic Sea on 16 June 2020 (200615-N-NO901-0036).JPG, Lithuanian Navy Hunt-class mine-hunter ''Skalvis'' during BALTOPS '20 File:German frigate Lübeck (F214) underway in the Baltic Sea on 8 June 2020 (200608-N-RG482-0423).JPG,

German Navy The German Navy (, ) is part of the unified (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Marine'' (German Navy) became the official ...

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

''Lübeck'' underway during BALTOPS '20, on 8 June 2020

References

{{Commons category, BALTOPS Military exercises involving the United States Baltic Sea 1971 establishments in Europe