HMS Dasher departing Ustka on Baltops 25 CREDIT ROYAL NAVY — HMS Dasher departs Ustka, Poland, on Baltops 25 (Picture: Royal Navy)

Nato

Baltops 25 begins as Navy patrol boats HMS Dasher and HMS Archer join Nato fleet

Nato has kicked off its flagship Baltic Sea exercise, with more than 40 warships, 25 aircraft and around 9,000 personnel from 16 allied nations taking part in Baltops 25.

Among the participating vessels are Royal Navy patrol boats HMS Dasher and HMS Archer, both part of the Coastal Forces Squadron.

HMS Dasher confirmed her departure on social media, writing: "The long-awaited CFS Baltops 25 deployment has commenced.

"Next stop: Oostende. We will be sailing in company with HMS Archer throughout the next few months as we work with other Nato units in the Baltic Sea."

The exercise is in its 54th year and began with a pre-sail conference in Rostock, Germany.

What it's like to sail on board HMS Dasher

Led by the US Sixth Fleet and Nato's Naval Striking and Support Forces (STRIKFORNATO), the annual exercise is designed to test the alliance's ability to operate together at sea – with training planned across a wide range of missions including amphibious landings, gunnery, air defence, mine clearance, submarine hunting and medical response.

It also features the use of unmanned surface and underwater vehicles.

Vice Admiral JT Anderson, commander of US Sixth Fleet and STRIKFORNATO, said: "This year's Baltops is more than just an exercise. It's a visible demonstration of our alliance's resolve, adaptability and maritime strength.

"As we mark Nato's 75th anniversary, Baltops 25 showcases our ability to operate together as one unified force across the spectrum of maritime operations."

The participating nations include Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, the UK, and the United States.

Finland and Sweden both joined Nato within the past two years following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.