NATO has launched a multi-domain mission called Baltic Sentry to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The new defense initiative will include frigates and maritime patrol aircraft and a fleet of naval drones.
The mission was introduced during the Summit of Baltic Sea Allies in Helsinki, which was co-hosted by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.
Baltic Sentry was developed in response to the Dec. 25 incident that damaged undersea cables connecting Finland and Estonia. On Dec. 30, NATO allies expressed solidarity with the two countries in addressing the incident in the Baltic Sea. The alliance aims to collaborate with industry representatives within the Critical Undersea Infrastructure Network to explore further protective measures for underwater infrastructure assets.
Concerted Protection Efforts
Allied Command Operations, or ACO, will oversee Baltic Sentry, with the Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum leading the mission. Maritime will primarily be conducted through the Allied Maritime Command. Additionally, the NATO Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Underwater Infrastructure – a networking and knowledge center – will support ACO and NATO allies in safeguarding critical undersea infrastructures.
In addition to Baltic Sentry, the 10-nation Joint Expeditionary Force led by the United Kingdom has established Nordic Warden, a system designed to alert JEF partners and NATO about potential threats to undersea cables and other infrastructures. This system will use artificial intelligence to identify threats by analyzing data from various sources, including the Automatic Identification System.