Over 45 Maritime Units, 75 Aircraft To Take Part In BALTOPS Exercise In Europe - Pentagon

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2022) More than 45 maritime units, 75 aircraft, and approximately 7,000 personnel will participate in the upcoming exercises dubbed BALTOPS 22 in Europe, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said on Thursday.

"The (BALTOPS) exercise will take place predominantly in and around Sweden from June 5 to June 17," Kirby said at a press briefing. "More than 45 maritime units, 75 aircraft, and approximately 7,000 personnel will participate."

The US Sixth Fleet will kick off the US Naval Forces Europe-led annual joint multinational maritime exercise, Kirby added, which will be focused on Baltic operations 22 or BALTOPS 22. The drill is executed by naval striking and support forces NATO, which is based in Naples, Italy, he said.

Unique to BALTOPS 22, Kirby added, is Sweden's role in hosting the exercise, which coincides with the Swedish navy celebrating its 500th anniversary this year.

Kirby explained that the participants will exercise various capabilities "that demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces including amphibious operations, gunnery, anti-submarine air defense exercises, as well as mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.

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On May 18, Finland and Sweden submitted their NATO membership applications to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Whether the two countries will be admitted to the alliance hinges on unanimous approval by NATO member countries.

On May 19, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said that Ankara had informed its NATO allies that it would say no to the membership of Stockholm and Helsinki, citing their involvement in supporting the Kurdistan movement, which Turkey regards as terrorist and deems as a serious threat to its national security. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stressed the need for a written undertaking from Finland and Sweden that they will stop supporting terrorism.