Exercise Freezing Winds 2025 on the North Baltic

The Polish Navy was represented by vessels of the 8th Coast Defence Fleet: the destroyer of the mines of the ORP Albatros from the 13th trawlers division and the trawler of the ORP Necko, which has been operating under the name of PKW Noteć since July this year and is now part of the Standing NATO Defence Force Group 1 (SNMCMG1) – 1 of the 2 antimine teams of the alliance operating on the waters of Europe.

This year's edition of the exercise, focusing about 5,000 soldiers, focused primarily on improving cooperation procedures, as well as conducting operations to counter threats on maritime communication routes. During the exercise, among others, the skills of searching for mines were improved, defence against the landing organization was conducted and acts of diversion of offshore critical infrastructure were combated. In addition to activities at sea, the Finns besides planned episodes on land, airspace and cybernetic.

"The operation and operation of navigation among thousands of islands and islands of the Archipelago Sea was a immense challenge not only for the crew of the navigating bridge, but besides for autonomous operators and remote-controlled submarines. The search for and recognition of threats to shipping, waiting at the bottom of water tracks with a very limited width, variable depth and advanced volume of movement of vessels, has already positively influenced the already rich array of cognition and skills of the ship's crew", concluded Lieutenant Commander Michael Bober, Commander of the ORP Albatros.

The participation of the Polish Navy in Freezing Winds 2025 confirms Poland's continued commitment to building the safety of the Baltic Sea region and its ability to operate effectively in NATO's integrated forces. The presence of Polish units emphasizes the readiness of the Polish Armed Forces to cooperate with allies and strengthen stableness in the strategically crucial area of the northern Baltic.

For years, the Freezing Winds exercise was an interior venture of Finnish naval forces. present it is held in an global cast, and Finland has led the full as a full associate of NATO for the 3rd time in history. The Polish Navy first took part in the exercise in November 2023 - as part of PKW Czernicki 2023. At the time, a large part of the marine component of the exercise were the allied mine-based forces of the NATO Permanent squad of Mine defence Group 1 under Polish command. The 8FOW ships taking part in the maneuvers at the time were: ORP Counter Admiral X. Czernicki and 2 ORP squad and ORP Hańcza trawlers.

Text: Press Section 8FOW