On June 1 multinational military exercise BALTOPS 2012 begins. Two warships of the Lithuanian Navy also set out for Gdynia: mine countermeasures ship M54 "Kuršis" assigned to the Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON) and patrol ship P11 "Žemaitis". Multinational exercise BALTOPS 2012 will be held in the territorial waters of Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia in the Baltic Sea.
One of the aims of the Exercise is to enhance mutual understanding, confidence, cooperation and interoperability between military and civilian personnel involved in the Exercise. During the Exercise military forces will conduct joint naval operations from maneuvering and patrolling to joint operations with other forces - air and land. BALTOPS 2012 is planned to involve approximately 30 warships (from mine countermeasures ships to patrols ships), 30 aircraft (from helicopters to fighter-jets) and elements of Land Force.
On June 11 an amphibious operation will be executed in Lithuania for the first time. Personnel of the United States Marine Corps, Lithuanian Special Operations Forces, military personnel of the Motorised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf, US warship USS Normandy, 2 strategic bombers B 52, 2 PA-200 Tornado fighter-jets of the German Air Force, 2 Mi-8 helicopters of the Lithuanian Air Force, the joint battalion of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia BALTRON, Diving and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group of the Royal Netherlands Navy and 2 Lublin class ships of the Polish Navy which will debark floating tracked amphibious vehicles.
The Exercise will follow a fictitious scenario: crisis strikes a country called Arcadia and unrest affects the entire region of the Blue Sea. The United Nations Council mandates an operation aimed at an embargo on arms movement, blockade of piracy, stabilization operation in Arcadia and assistance in counter-terrorism actions. International security forces are deployed in the Blue Sea Region.
US first organised the naval exercise BALTOPS in 1972. Since 1993 the series has been held under the Partnership for Peace program. Over four decades BALTOPS grew both in number of participating forces and in magnitude becoming one of the largest training events in the Baltic Region. Lithuania has been sending naval assets to take part in BALTOPS since 1994. This year for the first time Lithuania will host the Exercise on its soil.
BALTOPS 2012 Opening Ceremony will be held in Lithuania on the 4th of June at the Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Motorised Infantry Battalion in Klaipėda.
The Opening Ceremony is expected to be attended by leadership of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and representatives of administration of Klaipėda city and circuit.
For the Media:
Media representatives willing to attend the BALTOPS 2012 opening ceremony are invited to register before June 3, 17.00, at +370 684 50633 or email ieva.rumsiene@mil.lt; rumsiene.ieva@gmail.com
Program of BALTOPS 2012 Opening Ceremony
14.15 Arrival in the Dragoon Training Battalion (Liepojos str. 5, Klaipėda);
14.30-15.00 Opening Ceremony;
15.00-16.00 Display of equipment and weaponry used in BALTOPS 2012.
