NATO to test maritime drones in Finnish waters during June drills

NATO will conduct a major maritime exercise off Finland’s southern coast in June, focusing on the operational use of unmanned systems in the challenging conditions of the Baltic Sea.

The Dynamic Messenger drills will take place in the waters west of Porkkalanniemi, extending as far as Hanko, with activities concentrated between the Finnish archipelago and the outer edge of territorial waters, Caliber.Az reports citing Finland’s Navy.

The exercise will include scenarios such as protecting harbour zones and critical underwater infrastructure.

The sea-based operations will be closely monitored, and the exercises will support NATO’s broader efforts to trial unmanned maritime technologies across the alliance’s area of responsibility.

"Operating in shallow, archipelago-like coastal waters offers a unique testing ground for developing systems suitable for Baltic Sea conditions," the Finnish Navy said in a statement.

The drills are part of growing cooperation between Finland and NATO following the country’s accession to the alliance last year. The focus is on integrating advanced, intelligent, and autonomous maritime technologies into naval defence.

“Unmanned systems offer enormous potential and can serve a wide range of purposes,” said Captain (N) Marko Laaksonen, Deputy Chief of Staff for Navy Operations.

“These intelligent and autonomous tools are particularly valuable for monitoring areas and assets, freeing up vital resources for other operational tasks.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev