From June 7 to June 20, NATO's leading maritime exercise orchestrates a harmonious display of Allied capabilities at sea, in the air, and along the rugged Baltic coastline. The series of manoeuvres begins as we just celebrated D-Day, the juncture that initiated our collective journey towards 75 years of peace in the region. Today, as that peace is threatened by the turbulence of 21st-century global dynamics, BALTOPS 24 stands as a testament to the enduring strength and success of the most formidable Alliance in Modern History.
Participating nations include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This year's installment is particularly notable as it marks Sweden's first participation as a full NATO member, following over a decade of dedicated involvement in BALTOPS.
The Baltic Sea region holds immense strategic importance, acting as a critical junction for trade, energy routes, and regional security. BALTOPS 24 is dedicated to creating an optimal environment to safeguard freedom of navigation, which is crucial for maintaining the way of life for NATO's one billion citizens. By ensuring the free flow of commerce and resources, the exercise underpins the economic and security stability that is the cornerstone of the Alliance's prosperity.
BALTOPS is not merely an exercise but a touchstone for Allied interoperability and collective excellence at sea, serving as a dynamic laboratory designed to enhance NATO's unrivaled maritime strike capabilities. The exercise will encompass a wide range of operations, including amphibious maneuvers, air and naval gunnery, anti-submarine warfare, air defense, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, and unmanned underwater and surface vehicle drills, along with medical response scenarios. These varied executions underscore the flexibility and preparedness of the maritime forces of our 32 nations.
While led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and the U.S. Sixth Fleet (NAVEUR-NAVAF/SIXTHFLT), BALTOPS 24 will be command-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal. STRIKFORNATO's headquarters will host a substantial multinational coalition of liaison officers from each participating nation, fostering collaboration and leveraging unique national strengths within the exercise control hub.