The DLQ represents a vital milestone in ensuring that Polish aircrews are fully qualified to operate from U.S. Navy vessels. This achievement enhances joint maritime capabilities between Poland and the United States.
“This Polish deck landing qualification aboard Mount Whitney is a testament to the outstanding teamwork and professionalism of both the Polish aircrew and our own Team 20,” said Capt. Colin Price, commanding officer of USS Mount Whitney. “It’s through exercises like this that we build trust, enhance our interoperability, and strengthen our ability to operate seamlessly together to ensure security in the Baltic Sea region.”
The successful qualification highlights the commitment of both nations to deepening military cooperation and improving their joint readiness to address security challenges in the Baltic Sea. It also reflects the professionalism and dedication of the personnel involved in the exercise.
BALTOPS 25, which began on 5 June, is the premier annual maritime-focused military exercise in the Baltic region. The event offers NATO allies a valuable opportunity to train together, reinforce interoperability, and demonstrate collective readiness to defend the Alliance and maintain freedom of navigation.
Participating nations in this year’s exercise include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. BALTOPS features a wide array of training activities, such as amphibious operations, gunnery, air defence, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal, and medical response.
The exercise also integrates unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its scenarios, reflecting modern naval operational capabilities. BALTOPS is led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet and is command-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), based in Oeiras, Portugal.
STRIKFORNATO’s headquarters is hosting liaison officers and planners from all participating countries. These teams are working in a multinational coordination centre to plan and execute the complex operations of BALTOPS 25.
Source: U.S. Navy.
