Sailors deployed a K3 Scout unmanned surface vessel into the Port of Gdynia, Poland, during the Baltic Operations exercise on June 12, 2026. Vice Admiral Jeffrey Anderson, commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet, stated that the war in the Middle East serves as a proof of concept for naval strategies aimed at deterring Russian aggression in critical maritime chokepoints, such as the Baltic Sea. (Sandi Grimnes Moreno/U.S. Navy)
RIGA, Latvia — The recent war in the Middle East is proving core naval principles for the U.S. Navy in Europe and Africa, particularly when it comes to deterring aggression in critical maritime chokepoints such as the Baltic Sea, the commander of U.S. 6th Fleet said this week.
The past several months, which saw Iran attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, have reinforced the importance of key strategies such as naval domination of a waterway and limiting an adversary’s access to the sea, said Vice Adm. Jeffrey Anderson.
He spoke with Stars and Stripes following a media briefing Wednesday here related to the annual Baltic Operations exercise. Known as BALTOPS, it aims to strengthen NATO’s ability to defend the Baltic Sea and keep allied forces and supplies moving through the region during a crisis.
Anderson, also commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, said efforts to keep key sea routes open and maintain chokehold control don’t necessarily require ships.
“We can leverage land-based capabilities and air capabilities to be able to provide some of that chokepoint control and protection of forces that are flowing into and out of these critical maritime regions,” he said.
The Iran war has underscored the importance of harbor protection, coastal defense and mine countermeasures in the Baltic, which carries 15% of the world’s cargo and sees transit of as many as 5,500 ships monthly, he said.
Recent events in the Strait of Hormuz illustrate the risks facing strategic waterways. Since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February, ship traffic in the strait came to a near-standstill under threat of Iranian sea mines and missile attacks.
The U.S. has helped coordinate some commercial vessels’ transit through the strait, which typically carries 20% of the world’s daily consumption of petroleum products, though many shipowners and their insurers have remained unconvinced of safe passage.
Ship traffic may soon increase following this week’s agreement between the U.S. and Iran calling for an end to hostilities and reopening of the strait.
Anderson said security in the Baltic Sea is critical to the security of Europe and by extension the United States. He emphasized that BALTOPS isn’t simply about preparing for a crisis.
“Rather, we are working to prevent one by showcasing our unified strength and resolve,” he said.
Anderson spoke alongside Maj. Gen. Sean Flynn, deputy chief of staff for operations at NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum in the Netherlands, and Latvian navy Rear Adm. Maris Polencs at a BALTOPS media briefing.
Vice Adm. Jeffrey Anderson, right, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, and Latvian navy Rear Adm. Maris Polencs speak with reporters in Riga, Latvia, on June 17, 2026. Anderson said lessons from the recent conflict in the Middle East underscore the importance of protecting critical waterways. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Led by Naval Forces Europe-Africa/6th Fleet with the participation of JFC Brunssum, the current drills rehearse capabilities such as antisubmarine warfare, amphibious operations and expeditionary logistics while also testing new and emerging technologies.
Among them is the Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 based in San Diego, which provided counter-surface drone training for participating allied ships, the service said.
This year’s BALTOPS includes more than 6,000 personnel, 20 ships and more than 20 aircraft. It showcases the capabilities of 15 allied countries in a demonstration of NATO vigilance aimed at Moscow, Flynn said.
“Readiness is built through repetition, integration and trust,” he said. “And that readiness is at the core of our ability as an alliance to deter Russia from any aggression in this region.”
Concerns about Russian aggression have intensified since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The war spurred Finland and Sweden to join NATO, leaving Russia as the only non-member country among the nine that border the Baltic Sea.
Acts of presumed sabotage, such as the destruction of undersea communication cables, also have occurred in Baltic waters in recent years. NATO countries have blamed Russia for such attacks because of Western military support for Ukraine.
While the security situation in the Baltic Sea remains stable, the region still faces hybrid threats, including drones and suspected attacks on critical undersea infrastructure, Polencs said.
Ships with the Baltic Naval Squadron conduct training during Exercise Baltic Operations 2026 in the Baltic Sea on June 10, 2026. NATO officials say the annual exercise is designed to improve the alliance’s ability to move forces through the Baltic region and deter potential Russian aggression. (Brendyn Otradovec/U.S. Navy)
A K3 Scout unmanned surface vessel is lowered into the Port of Gdynia, Poland, during Exercise Baltic Operations 2026 on June 12, 2026. NATO officials say unmanned systems are becoming increasingly important to maritime security and the protection of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. (Sandi Grimnes Moreno/U.S. Navy)
Flynn noted that such incidents have become much less frequent since NATO formed Baltic Sentry in 2025. The surveillance mission is focused on tracking Russia’s shadow fleet of ships thought to be behind damage to undersea cables.
Earlier this year, U.K. and Norwegian forces spent more than three months tracking three Russian submarines in waters north of Europe.
They determined that one was a decoy to divert attention from two others loitering near critical undersea infrastructure in another location. The operation ultimately forced the Russian submarines to return home.
Anderson said Russian activity near this year’s BALTOPS exercise, which in previous years has included shadowing and flyovers of U.S. and NATO ships, was in line with historical norms.
In 2024, three Russian Su-24s made seven passes over the command-and-control ship USS Mount Whitney as the vessel participated in BALTOPS. Navy officials characterized most of the interactions as safe and professional.
But another flyover the same year, involving the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, was determined to be safe but unprofessional because the ship was conducting flight operations.
