NATO, in collaboration with the Swedish Navy, is currently running a large-scale submarine hunting exercise in the Baltic Sea, named Dynamic Merlin 24.
Around 1,200 personnel from ten nations are taking part in this crucial operation, which aims to enhance coordination and boost the collective ability to detect and manage submarines in the challenging conditions of the Baltic.
“The Baltic Sea is unique when it comes to underwater searches,” explained Commander Marko Petkovic, the Swedish Navy’s Chief of Operations. “It’s shallow, with a hilly seabed, and varying salinity. These factors make it difficult for sonar to detect submarines over long distances.”
The exercise features a wide range of assets, including vessels from NATO’s standing naval force SNMG1, Swedish Visby and Gävle-class corvettes, a Gotland-class submarine, helicopters, and P-8 Poseidon aircraft from the U.S. navy. A key focus has been the exchange of expertise among submarine hunting specialists aboard Sweden’s HMS Helsingborg corvette.
Petkovic emphasized the importance of this collaboration: “By sharing knowledge, we strengthen NATO’s capabilities and improve security together.” Dynamic Merlin 24 will continue through November 14, further cementing international cooperation in submarine detection.
