The Finnish Navy to take part in BALTOPS16

Finland's unique coastal areas offer excellent circumstances for exercising naval interoperability during the BALTOPS exercise. The interoperability of ships and coastal units will be put to the test during the BALTOPS16 exercise, which starts in June at the exercise area in Syndalen.

BALTOPS is an annual maritime exercise held in the Baltic Sea region under the command of the Naval Striking and Support Force NATO (STRIKFORNATO). This year the exercise is arranged for the 44th time and Finland has participated in the exercise since 1993.

According to plan approximately 6,100 soldiers, 49 vessels, 61 aircraft and three submarines will take part in the Baltops exercise in 2016. Finland will participate in the exercise with FNS Uusimaa and a 160-strong coastal jaeger company from the Nyland Brigade.

Around 20 countries will participate in the exercise with the aim to exercise combined interoperability in the Baltic Sea region.

Finland's participation

The BALTOPS exercise will be divided into training and interoperability phases. Finland will host a training part of the Baltops exercise, with an approx. 600-strong amphibious battlegroup in Syndalen 6-8 June 2016. Finland participates in the amphibious part of the exercise together with Sweden as part of the bilateral FINSWE cooperation program and in accordance with the Swedish-Finnish Naval Task Group concept.

Finland, Sweden, the United States, Holland, Italy, Great Britain and Germany will participate in the training phase.

The aim of the Finnish part of the exercise is to build and test the interoperability of participating units. The coastal area at Syndalen, with its shallow waters and numerous islands, offers unique and challenging exercise conditions.

The Finnish Navy will participate in the exercise with FNS Uusimaa and a coastal jaeger company from the Nyland Brigade. FNS Uusimaa will combine its participation in the exercise with the return from its annual training expedition in order to provide the naval cadets an opportunity to train combined interoperability. The exercise will provide coastal jaeger company, consisting mainly of conscripts and trained by the Nyland Brigade, an opportunity to get valuable international experience. In particular, the exercise will be useful for developing the know-how of the conscripts that have undergone the Amphibious Task Unit crisis management course.

Structure of the exercise

The exercise is divided into the Combat Enhancement Training - Force Integration Training (CETFIT), the First Tactical Exercise (TACEX1) and the Second Tactical Exercise (TACEX2).

Finland will host a training part of the Baltops exercise, with an approx. 600-strong amphibious battlegroup.

After the training part, the exercise will continue with the tactical part, with the aim of testing the interoperability of the participating units, around the island of Utö at the West Coast of Sweden 11-13 June 2016. Finland and Sweden will participate in the Baltops exercise until the closing of the First Tactical Exercise which is held in Sweden.

Edit: 5.6.2016 According to plan approximately 6,100 soldier will take part in the Baltops exercise in 2016