A two-week German-led naval exercise begins Monday off the coasts of Latvia and Estonia. More than 3,000 soldiers from 14 countries are participating this year in the “Northern Coasts” exercise, including those from the Baltic Sea but also from Italy, France, Canada and the United States. Around thirty ships and boats – including a submarine, numerous planes and various land units – are part of the maneuver group.
The exercise, led by a headquarters in Rostock, about 1,000 kilometers away, aims to improve the allies’ common understanding of the Baltic Sea. For the first time, according to the Navy, “Côtes du Nord” is based on an alliance defense scenario. On Monday, the units previously assembled in the port of Riga and offshore were to set sail for the first exercises. According to the Navy, this involves mine clearance, maritime target shooting, submarine hunting, electronic warfare, cooperation with reconnaissance aircraft, landing operations and port protection.
This large-scale exercise has taken place every year since 2007, led by Germany, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Initially, the goal of the “Northern Coasts” program was to prepare navies for piracy and terrorism, but now it is about national and alliance defense, particularly on the eastern flank of the NATO. The trigger was the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014.
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