A three-ship detachment from the North Atlantic Alliance will arrive in Helsinki on 27 May for a scheduled sea exercise. The visit is set to reinforce ongoing military collaboration and demonstrate the alliance’s capacity to operate in the Baltic region.
New details indicate that on Saturday, 27 May, vessels from Norway, Germany, and France are anticipated to gather in Helsinki port in connection with Baltops 23, a large-scale exercise conducted in the Baltic Sea to test interoperability, command-and-control, and seamanship among allied navies.
Officials described the visit as a component of planned NATO operations in the Baltic area, underscoring the focus on maintaining situational awareness, secure sea lanes, and coordinated response options should tensions rise in the region.
Among the units mentioned to participate are the Katanpää class mine countermeasures vessel from Finland, the FGS Rottweil from Germany which specializes in water-area surveillance and mine countermeasures, and the FS Pegase from France, a unit that brings specialized capabilities to monitor and secure maritime zones. The group will be commanded by the Norwegian Coast Guard patrol vessel HNoMS Nordkapp, which will lead the formation during the exercise.
The defense ministry noted that this ship group is expected to evolve into a reliable element of allied maritime capability, with the ability to help keep sea routes open and secure during potential conflict scenarios.
Earlier in April, two frigates from a standing NATO naval division conducted joint exercises with the Finnish Navy in the Baltic Sea, visiting Helsinki and staying through 16 April, signaling sustained collaborative activity between alliance forces and Finland within this strategically important sea area. More detailed briefings indicated ongoing planning aimed at strengthening integrated operations, training, and rapid-response readiness across allied maritime forces in Northern Europe.