American and allied NATO Special Operations units wrapped up Flaming Sword 23 in Lithuania. Troops from Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, and the United States participated in the exercise.
"This exercise underscores the readiness and capability of NATO Allied SOF to deploy rapidly anytime and anywhere, to promote peace and security through joint efforts," U.S. Special Operations Command said in a press release.
During the exercise Navy SEALs conducted helicopter fast rope training, close-quarter battle drills, weapons training, and maritime operations including small boat ops. Interestingly, the exercise marked the first time in recent history that a German submarine supported German combat divers conducting training exercises at sea and ashore. Although there is no information about what German units worked with the submarine the likely answer is Germany's oldest Special Ops unit: Kampfschwimmer who are maritime commandos roughly comparable to the SEALs.
Danish maritime commandos from their own unit, called the Frogman Corps, also participated in training missions in the Baltic Sea.
"As NATO, we have an opportunity to use various types of platforms in the air, at the sea and on land, making us unpredictable to the enemy. Surprise and speed; these are the main principles which we use conducting special operations," explained Lithuanian Special Operations commander Col. Darius Milašius.
The Flaming Sword exercise is aimed at helping allied Special Operations units work together not just in the Baltic region, but the Arctic as well which is already seen as a politically contested space between the West and the Russian Federation.
