Upcoming naval drills in the Baltic Sea will involve approximately 30 ships and over 3,000 Western servicemen, focusing for the first time on countering a potential Russian assault in the region. Vice-Admiral Jan Christian Kaack emphasized the drills’ importance as a message of vigilance to Russia. The exercises, named the “Northern Coasts,” will feature troops from all NATO Baltic Sea nations, soon-to-be member Sweden, and non-Baltic allies such as the U.S., Canada, and several European countries.
 

Key Points: 

1. The two-week “Northern Coasts” exercise starts on Sep 9, uniting NATO countries and allies like the U.S., Canada, and certain European nations to practice amphibious operations and strikes.
2. The U.S. navy is contributing the Mesa Verde, a ship capable of transporting and landing 800 marines, to the drills.
3. The exercises will emphasize the importance of securing maritime supply routes in the Baltic Sea, which are critical for Finland and the Baltic states.
4. The Suwalki Gap, a 65-kilometer land corridor, is the only land link between the Baltic states, Poland, and the main NATO territory in Europe.
5. Germany’s navy, the largest in the Baltic Sea, will command the drills from their new maritime headquarters in Rostock, aiming to offer it to NATO as a regional maritime HQ for future operations.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/baltic-sea-drills-focus-first-time-repelling-russian-attack-2023-09-01/