BALTOPS

BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) [cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/baltops.htm |title=globalsecurity.org: Baltic Operations |accessdate=2008-09-28 ] is a annual military exercise, held and sponsored by the Commander, U.S. European Command, Naval since 1971, in the Baltic Sea and the regions surrounding it.

The purpose of BALTOPS is to train [cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=37575 |title=Carrier Strike Group 12 Prepares for BALTOPS 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-28 ] gunnery (GUN), replenishment at sea (RAS), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), radar tracking & interception, mine countermeasures (MCM), seamanship, search and rescue, maritime interdiction operations (MIO) and scenarios dealing with potential real world crises and maritime security.

Since 1993 it has been a major contributor to the NATO programme Partnership for Peace, which aims to strengthen and create trust amongst former Soviet Union states and NATO. Ten states which were members (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) have since joined NATO.

Common participants are (but not limited to): Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America (commmanding country)

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