Germany launches major military exercise in Baltic Sea

The German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, have launched Quadriga 2025, the country's main exercise series for the year. The exercises will run from August to September and will focus on the maritime dimension, with the German Navy taking the lead in practicing the defence of NATO's eastern flank and securing transport routes in the Baltic Sea.

Approximately 8,000 German soldiers will train together with thirteen partner nations. This year's maritime focus follows previous exercises that centered on air capabilities in 2023 and land forces in 2024. The Bundeswehr stated the exercise will involve deploying forces by sea, land, and air to Lithuania to practice the defence of NATO alliance territory. A special focus will be placed on drone defence, with new systems and procedures being integrated into all phases of the exercise.

The Quadriga series has already begun with the sub-exercise "Role2Sea", which started with the departure of the supply ship Frankfurt am Main from Wilhelmshaven. This initial phase focuses on practicing a continuous rescue chain for wounded personnel at sea, from onboard medical care to transfer to civilian hospitals on land.

In the coming weeks, other sub-exercises will take place. The army will test the rapid deployment of forces to Lithuania, while the navy will practice protecting against threats above and below the water.