NATO conducts high-intensity anti-submarine warfare exercise in Baltic Sea

From November 11 to 14, NATO forces conducted the anti-submarine warfare exercise Merlin 2024 in the Baltic Sea, bringing together naval and air assets from 10 member nations. 

This high-intensity training, aimed at improving maritime security, saw the participation of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The exercise featured a full spectrum of maritime assets, including surface ships, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft, aimed at enhancing anti-submarine, surface warfare, and maritime patrol skills. Commodore Thomas Stig Rasmussen, Commander of NATO's Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), emphasised the importance of such exercises in maintaining NATO's readiness. "Anti-submarine warfare is a difficult discipline to master, but through frequent exercises like Merlin 2024, NATO forces maintain high-end capabilities year-round," he said.

Notably, Merlin 2024 also marked the first exercise under the tactical command of Task Force Baltic, a new multinational command structure based in Germany. Rear Admiral Stephan Haisch, Commander of Task Force Baltic, highlighted the strategic significance of the exercise for enhancing Allied command and control in the region.

The challenging Baltic Sea environment provided an ideal setting for refining interoperability between NATO allies, particularly with Sweden and Finland now integrated into NATO’s maritime security strategy.

The exercise emphasised NATO’s collective defence capabilities and the Alliance’s commitment to addressing global threats.

By Aghakazim Guliyev