COMMANDER
NAVAL STRIKING AND SUPPORT FORCES NATO
REDUTO GOMES FREIRE
ESTRADA DA MEDROSA
2780-070 OEIRAS
PORTUGAL
BALTOPS 17 to set sail in June
25 May 2017
OEIRAS, Portugal – The 45th edition of Exercise BALTIC OPERATIONS (BALTOPS) will take place in the Baltic Sea from 1 to 16 June. Air, maritime, and ground assets from several NATO Allies and Partner Nations will be involved in the live training event that sets sail from Szczecin, Poland and finishes in Kiel, Germany.
BALTOPS is an annual recurring multinational, maritime-focused exercise designed to provide high end training for the participants. This year 14 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States and NATO’s Enhanced Opportunities Partners: Finland and Sweden) will participate.
The exercise, which will involve 4,000 shipboard personnel, 50 ships and submarines and more than 50 aircraft, is designed to enhance flexibility and interoperability, to strengthen combined response capabilities, as well as demonstrate resolve among Allied and Partner Nations’ forces to ensure stability in, and if necessary defend, the Baltic Sea region.
BALTOPS, which began in 1972, continues to be an excellent opportunity for NATO and regional partners to strengthen interoperability through a series of combined tactical manoeuvres and scenarios.
Note to Editors:
From 6 to 10 June, there are live fire events (from ship to shore and vice-versa) scheduled at Putlos Military Training area in Germany. In compliance with German safety regulations, the exercise area will be restricted during all the events of gun fire.
During the execution of the exercise, there are several open media events planned. For more details and accreditation, please communicate with the point of contact for the event as detailed below.
Pre-sail Press Conference
The initial press conference with the STRIKFORNATO Command Group will be held in Szczecin, Poland on 3 June aboard HDMS Absalon (L 16)
To register for this event, please contact Lieutenant Elisabete Almeida, e-mail: e.almeida@sfn.nato.int.
Latvian Media Day
This will take place on 6 June. Amphibious forces will be landing in Ventspils, Latvia, and will integrate with exercise SABER STRIKE.
To attend this event please register with the Media Relations Section of the Ministry of Defense of Latvia: Sandra.Brale@mod.gov.lv
KC-135 Incentive flights
This will take place on 9 June, in Powidz, Poland, and will be an excellent opportunity to watch the air component operate. There will be joint refuelling actions and a NATO Allies and Partners formation flight during the event.
The point of contact is 1st Lieutenant James Fisher, e-mail: james.fisher.47@us.af.mil.
Distinguished Visitors’ and Media Day
This will take place the morning of 14 June. A capability demonstration will take place on the beaches of Ustka, Poland. Please register no later than 1 June with Lieutenant Colonel Szczepan Głuszczak, e-mail: rzecznik.dgrsz@mon.gov.pl
Post-sail Press Conference
A final press conference with the STRIKFORNATO Command Group will be held in Kiel, Germany, on 16 June aboard USS Arlington (LPD 24)
Please register for the media event through the Kiel Navy Week program e-mail: medien@kiel.de
Please be prepared to provide the following information to the points of contacts listed above. You must register for each event separately.
Name
Nationality
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
National ID or passport number and issue/validation date
News Affiliation
For more information:
Commander Pamela Rawe – pamela.rawe@eu.navy.mil
Lieutenant Elisabete Almeida – e.almeida@sfn.nato.int
Website: www.sfn.nato.int
