The NATO major maneuver Baltops will soon end: Kiel in the focus of the world navy!

The NATO major maneuver Baltops will soon end: Kiel in the focus of the world navy!

in Kiel, where the Baltic Sea meets NATO's maritime strength, the large -scale maneuver Baltic Operations ends this Friday, Baltops for short. This year the organizers came up with a stately number: almost 20 ships and around 1,500 soldiers set sail in the morning. A highlight of the exercise is the German frigate "Bavaria", which together with the US leadership ship "Mount Whitney" has already fixed in the Kiel naval base. While the foreign ships will leave the port city at the end of the weekend, the German units remain active.

In the past two weeks, over 50 ships, more than 25 aircraft and around 9,000 soldiers from 17 nations have taken part in this major maritime event. The start took place in Rostock, where the troops prepared for their mission. Baltic Operations, which has been taking place annually since 1971 and is managed by the USA, is more than just a military training; It is also a sign of unity and determination in the middle of geopolitical tensions, especially with Russia.

a geopolitical chess game

The Baltops maneuver is not only carried out as a routine exercise, but is also dedicated to the tense situation with Russia. A Russian ship, the “Vasiliy Tatishchev”, observes NATO activities from a distance of around three nautical miles. Frigate captain S. describes the Russian ship as a reconnaissance vehicle that could monitor radar frequencies and flight operations. In view of the increasing cases of alleged sabotage in the Baltic Sea, the NATO forces are prepared.

The crew of the “Bavaria”, which is specially equipped for the submarine hunting and has over 230 people, has issued an increased warning level. Cell phones are strictly prohibited on deck in order to avoid a possible location by third parties. Another important aspect of the exercises was the handling of drones against which the frigate successfully carried out shooting exercises; Target drones were started from the coast.

presence as a key factor

The need to show the military presence and contribute to deterrent, emphasizes the Commandant Klöfkorn-Dorscht. These exercises put the operational capacity and cooperation among NATO partners. Nevertheless, there are challenges; The Navy has to struggle with personnel pieces, since 20% of the approximately 15,000 military posts were vacant last year. These gaps are not only a logistical problem, but also lead a light on the challenges in front of which the German Navy is facing.

For more information about the maneuver and the units involved, you can world, SPIEGEL and ZDF visit.