Baltic Operations 2024 (BALTOPS 24), the largest military exercise ever held in the Baltic Sea, is kicking off on Wednesday with a pre-sail conference in the Lithuanian port city of Klaipėda.
More than 30 allied warships, manned by over 4,000 seamen, marines, navy aviation, and other navy specialist personnel, were expected to arrive in Klaipėda in the run-up to the exercise.
“Representatives of the training audience will stay in Klaipėda on June 4–7 to take part in the Pre-Sail Conference for the second time hosted by the Lithuanian Navy,” the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a press release on Tuesday.
The exercise “will hone amphibious landing, fire support, anti-submarine warfare aircraft defence, mine hunting and sweeping, surface and underwater drone, and other operations”.
According to Lithuanian Naval Force Commander Giedrius Premeneckas, one of the strategic goals of the exercise is to “demonstrate NATO unity and the resolve to counter any aggressors”.
The tactical phase in the Baltic Sea on June 7–22 will involve two Lithuanian Navy ships, the mine countermeasures vessel Skalvis and the patrol vessel Aukstaitis, and the Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON) under the command of Karolis Lileikis of the Lithuanian Navy.
Around 9,000 troops, 50 ships, and 80 aircraft from 20 NATO countries will participate in the largest-ever BALTOPS exercise.
This year will mark the first time Sweden, which has taken part in BALTOPS since 1990, will participate in the exercise as a NATO member.
BALTOPS is organised by the US Naval Forces Europe and Africa and the US Sixth Fleet, with command and control provided by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO).
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