DefenceTalkVilnius: NATO has vowed to hold “continuous” military exercises in eastern Europe to deter Russia but has yet to respond to a request by Baltic states for a permanent brigade, Lithuania said Wednesday. In May, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia formally asked NATO’s top commander to deploy a “permanent rotational” battalion-sized unit in each country amid […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-keeps-mum-on-baltic-brigade-request-lithuania-64778/

DefenceTalkAccording to a report by the think tank Center of European Policy Analysis, Russian troops performed an island attack exercise over the Gulf of Finland in March of this year. The report emphasised a need for increased security and cooperation between Poland, Baltic and Nordic nations, calling the region a “new front line” to Russia’s […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-think-tank-nordic-baltic-polish-9-should-boost-security-64712/

DefenceTalkRAF Typhoon jets deployed as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission intercepted two unknown aircraft on a mission over the Baltic Sea. The aircraft were scrambled from Amari air base in Estonia yesterday, to intercept aircraft approaching Baltic airspace without sharing a flight plan. The first aircraft was identified as a Il-20M ‘Coot’ […]https://www.defencetalk.com/raf-eurofighters-intercept-two-russian-aircraft-near-baltic-states-64452/

DefenceTalkDefence ministers for the three Baltic states said Thursday they are mulling a joint air defence system in response to security concerns over Russia's activity in the region.https://www.defencetalk.com/baltics-mull-joint-air-defence-system-against-russia-64367/

DefenceTalkNATO’s Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system drones will be used in the Baltic airspace from 2017. Estonia is also one of the financial contributors to the program. NATO will use drones for reconnaissance and collection of information about the enemy and possible targets. NATO’s AGS system, operated and maintained on behalf of all 28 Allies, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-to-deploy-drones-over-baltic-64332/

DefenceTalkThe Baltic states will formally ask NATO to deploy several thousand troops as a deterrent to Russia, Lithuania said Thursday, but the alliance gave no assurance that the request would be accepted. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers in the Turkish city of Antalya that he was aware […]https://www.defencetalk.com/baltics-to-ask-nato-for-thousands-of-troops-64217/

DefenceTalkA NATO mission policing Baltic airspace amid heightened tensions with Russia has forged a rather exotic alliance to ensure the safety of pilots and their jets. Four birds of prey – three falcons and an eagle – soar over the tarmac near four massive hangars at the Zokniai airforce base in northwest Lithuania. The winged […]https://www.defencetalk.com/birds-of-prey-help-nato-warplanes-police-baltic-air-64026/

DefenceTalkFinland said Tuesday its navy had fired warning shots at a possible submarine off the coast of Helsinki in the early hours of the morning. “During surveillance of (Finland’s) territorial integrity, the navy detected a possible underwater object at midday (0900 GMT) on April 27, 2015, within Finland’s territorial waters close to the border outside […]https://www.defencetalk.com/finnish-military-fires-on-suspected-submarine-in-baltic-64018/

DefenceTalkRussia has successfully tested its newest anti-submarine system, which features anti-torpedo capabilities, during military exercises in the Baltic Sea. Russia’s stealth corvette Soobrazitelny has successfully tested the country’s newest Paket-NK small-sized anti-submarine system with anti-torpedo capabilities during the military exercises in the Baltic Sea. The Kilo class diesel-electric torpedo submarine “Varshavyanka” (Project 877) served as […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-successfully-tests-anti-submarine-system-62811/

DefenceTalkRussia is highly likely to intervene in the Baltic states to test NATO’s collective defense commitment, the former head of the Atlantic alliance was quoted as saying by Britain’s Daily Telegraph on Friday. “This is not about Ukraine. Putin wants to restore Russia to its former position as a great power,” Anders Fogh Rasmussen told […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ex-nato-chief-says-russia-likely-to-act-in-baltics-62773/