An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


News Stories
U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC)

NATO MCM demonstrates readiness with real-world benefit in BALTOPS 23

by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew Fink
08 June 2023

230604-N-N0901-3001 BALTIC SEA (June 4, 2023) NATO and Swedish ships steam in formation after departing Tallinn, Estonia, June 4, 2023, to participate in exercise Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23). BALTOPS 23 is the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region. The exercise, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO provides a unique training opportunity to strengthen the combined response capability critical to preserving the freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea. (Courtesy Photo provided by OR-7 Aaron Zwaal, Royal Netherlands Airforce)
230604-N-N0901-3001 BALTIC SEA (June 4, 2023) NATO and Swedish ships steam in formation after departing Tallinn, Estonia, June 4, 2023, to participate in exercise Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23). BALTOPS 23 is the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region. The exercise, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO provides a unique training opportunity to strengthen the combined response capability critical to preserving the freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea. (Courtesy Photo provided by OR-7 Aaron Zwaal, Royal Netherlands Airforce)
230604-N-N0901-3001 BALTIC SEA (June 4, 2023) NATO and Swedish ships steam in formation after departing Tallinn, Estonia, June 4, 2023, to participate in exercise Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23). BALTOPS 23 is the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region. The exercise, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO provides a unique training opportunity to strengthen the combined response capability critical to preserving the freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea. (Courtesy Photo provided by OR-7 Aaron Zwaal, Royal Netherlands Airforce)
230604-N-NO901-3001
230604-N-N0901-3001 BALTIC SEA (June 4, 2023) NATO and Swedish ships steam in formation after departing Tallinn, Estonia, June 4, 2023, to participate in exercise Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23). BALTOPS 23 is the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region. The exercise, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO provides a unique training opportunity to strengthen the combined response capability critical to preserving the freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea. (Courtesy Photo provided by OR-7 Aaron Zwaal, Royal Netherlands Airforce)
Photo By: OR-7 Aaron Zwaal, Royal Netherlands Airforce
VIRIN: 230604-N-NO901-3001
PUTLOS, Germany - Ships and ashore units from 11 NATO Ally nations commenced the mine countermeasures (MCM) phase of exercise Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23) in Germany, Poland and in the Baltic Sea, June 5.

The purpose of mine countermeasures is to hunt, identify and neutralize underwater mines to ensure freedom of navigation at sea for all.  Worldwide Navies employ MCM procedures, ships, and technology to clear lanes for ships to access strategic waterways and conduct amphibious landings on contested beaches.  One key initiative that delivers training to the crews of the MCM while delivering real-world positive impact throughout BALTOPS 23 is the clearance of unexploded ordnance and remnants of war littering the bottom of the Baltic Sea to this day.

Under the command of NATO Commander Task Group 162.40, there are four units participating in the MCM portion of the exercise: Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON), Task Unit 30 and Task Unit 40. In all, the group comprises 12 ships and over 1,000 personnel. 

“The mission of our task group is to maintain, sustain, and improve MCM readiness,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Ryan Ventresca, Commodore, Mine Countermeasures Group (MCMGRU) 3, which is overall in charge of MCM evolutions for BALTOPS 23. “This is a way for us to coordinate and collaborate with the best in the world.”

Spanning World War I and II, the waterways of the Baltic Sea were often mined to prevent the passage of enemy ships. As peace settled over Europe post-wars, many of the nations disposed of ammunition and explosive ordnance in the ocean – at the time, a safer alternative. Today, there is believed to be more than 80,000 mines and other unexploded remnants of war across the Baltic Sea, making certain areas unfishable due to the danger of reeling in explosives, while other areas become hot-zones of rapid evacuation when a decades-old unexploded explosive washes ashore.

Throughout the year, many Baltic navies’ peacetime mission are mine clearance – the Estonian Navy even prioritizes it, due to the large number of mines lying dormant in territorial waters. But exercises like BALTOPS 23, a platform primarily used for training interoperability, give the NATO alliance a chance to make a real-world positive impact in the Baltic.

During the exercise, MCM ships are actively hunting for mines in the Irbe Strait, which connects the Baltic Sea to the Gulf of Riga, as well as the territorial waters of Germany and Estonia. They will also hunt for mines prior to an amphibious landing in Utska, Poland. Closer to land, small boat and diving exercises are taking place in Putlos, Germany. The 11 nations participating in MCM operations will have hands-on work in removing, transporting, and destroying historical and rusted mines.

To assist in searching for mines, units employ unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) that travel with a pre-programmed course and use sonar to search the sea floor for objects, which divers later inspect and identify for possible mine neutralization and recovery. Experimentation is also being conducted off the coast of Germany on unmanned surface vehicles (USV), which have the potential to patrol designated areas, recover personnel and deploy UUVs autonomously.

“One of our lines of effort is to experiment with tactical and technical advances in weapons systems,” said Ventresca. “We are looking for ways to improve our capability to implement these technologies for future real-world employment.”  

BALTOPS, which began in 1972 and is now in its 52nd iteration, continues to be an excellent opportunity for NATO and regional partners to strengthen interoperability through a series of combined tactical maneuvers and scenarios.

“Exercises like BALTOPS are a crucial part of training, and training is a crucial part of NATO as a whole,” said German Navy Cmdr. Philipp Klimmek, the MCM syndicate leader for the exercise. “It is always an honor to work with our Allies and partners.”

BALTOPS 23 is the premier annual maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region, in which NATO Allies and Partners are the main participants. BALTOPS brings together both NATO and non-NATO countries to exercise largescale interoperability. U.S. European Command and Naval Forces Europe have promoted the traditional U.S.-led or bi-lateral exercises as opportunities for NATO to improve interoperability as a collective force, using NATO command and control systems as a foundation for the exercise design.

For over 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF forged strategic relationships with our Allies and Partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. SIXTHFLT is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

STRIKFORNATO, headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal, is Supreme Allied Commander Europe’s (SACEUR) premier, rapidly deployable and flexible, maritime power projection Headquarters, capable of planning and executing full spectrum joint maritime operations.


 
Navy.mil  |  Navy.com  |  Navy FOIA  | USFF FOIA DoD Accessibility/Section 508  |  No Fear Act  |  Open Government  |  Plain Writing Act 
USA.gov  |  Veterans Crisis Line  |  VA Vet Center  |  FVAP  |   DoD Safe Helpline  |  Navy SAPR  |  NCIS Tips  |  Privacy Policy  |  Site Map  |  Contact US
 
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command   |   1562 Mitscher Ave., Suite 250   |   Norfolk, Virginia 23551-2487
Official U.S. Navy Website
Veteran's Crisis Line