NATO strengthens hold on Baltic with new Naval Command Centre
Germany has opened the NATO Naval Command Centre for the Baltic Sea. The new unit is tasked with enhancing regional security and the ability to respond to emerging threats. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, during the centre's inauguration ceremony, stated: "The relevance of the region has become even more evident against the backdrop of the ongoing Russian aggression in our immediate neighbourhood."
The new NATO command centre, Command Task Force Baltic (CTF Baltic), commenced operations on October 1, with its official inauguration held on Monday, October 21. CTF Baltic, a unit formed based on the German navy's operational command DEU MARFOR in Rostock, will be led by a German Rear Admiral and staffed by personnel from 11 other NATO countries. The position of deputy commander of CTF Baltic for the next two years will be held by Rear Admiral Piotr Nieć, who was previously an expert at the Marshall Center.
CTF Baltic takes control over the Baltic Sea
CTF Baltic will include representatives from Poland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In peacetime, the staff is expected to consist of about 180 people, while in times of crisis, it may increase to 240. The main task of CTF Baltic will be coordinating NATO naval forces' activities in the Baltic Sea region in the event of a crisis or conflict and planning maritime operations in designated operational areas.
Baltic Sea as NATO's internal sea
With Finland and Sweden joining NATO, the Baltic Sea has become an internal sea of NATO, playing an even larger role in the alliance's security and beyond. The Polish Army notes on its official website that between 2,000 and 3,000 vessels are in the Baltic Sea daily. The waters also see international trade, raw material transfers, and passenger traffic.
Due to its strategic location and crucial role, the Baltic Sea remains an area of interest for the Kremlin. It is a region where muscle flexing often occurs. For example, according to data from the Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office, in 2023, NATO air forces across Europe made over 300 interceptions of Russian aircraft approaching Alliance airspace. Most of these incidents occurred over the Baltic Sea.
This region has also experienced numerous GPS signal disruptions, which Sweden attributes to Russia. Estonians hold a similar view. In April 2024, Erik Kannike from the Estonian software company SensusQ pointed out: "Russia is making great efforts in electronic warfare. It regularly disrupts GPS signals over a large area in Russia and neighbouring countries."
Such actions aim to create the so-called "ghost navigation" effect, primarily affecting civilian ships. For instance, GPS signal disruptions hinder the movement of ships carrying goods under sanctions. Another reason the Russians resort to such methods could be the desire to create unease in the West and highlight their electronic warfare capabilities.
The Baltic Sea is an area that could play a crucial role in a potential armed conflict. Therefore, NATO regularly conducts exercises here to test its readiness to defend communication routes, maintain sea dominance, and prevent a maritime blockade of the Baltic Sea. Such a situation would pose the risk of cutting off supply deliveries or allied support. The mentioned manoeuvres involve not only the navy but also the air force, which are capable of repelling attacks from the air and sea.
