NATO has launched a new maritime surveillance activity, named ‘Baltic Sentry’, to build deterrence presence against threats to critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) on the Baltic seabed.
‘Baltic Sentry’ was announced formally on 14 January, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stating on social media that “[the] activity is part of our ongoing effort to enhance maritime presence and monitoring of key areas for our alliance”.
“Working together with NATO allies including through ‘Baltic Sentry’ means we are doing what it takes to ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure,” Rutte added.
The move came in response to a succession of CUI-related incidents that have taken place in the Baltic Sea since September 2022, with seabed cables and pipelines being damaged. The most recent incident occurred on 25 December 2024, involving power and internet cables connecting Estonia and Finland. While no cause for each incident has been publicly confirmed, senior figures within NATO and within alliance countries have pointed to rogue actors conducting ‘grey zone’ activities in the region.
In a statement issued on 14 January, NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) said Allied Command Operations (ACO), Joint Force Command Brunssum, and NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) would deliver ‘Baltic Sentry’. The statement added that the activity was designed “to deter any future attempts by a state or non-state actor to damage CUI” in the Baltic region.
NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), US Army general Christopher Cavoli, said in the SHAPE statement that ‘Baltic Sentry’ will deliver focused deterrence across the Baltic to counter destabilizing acts, and demonstrates NATO’s ability to respond rapidly to such acts.
At sea, NATO’s two North Atlantic-based standing naval forces – Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) and Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) – will provide the core of the surveillance presence for ‘Baltic Sentry’, with Baltic member states and other alliance countries supporting the activity.
Surface ships, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, maritime uncrewed systems, and sensors including satellites and radar are being used to underpin ‘Baltic Sentry’, with the surveillance output they generate enhanced by integrating artificial intelligence into surveillance data analysis.
by Dr Lee Willett
