![A machinegunner fireing at sea.]()
Firing exercise with heavy machine gun during Baltops 50.
Photo: HMS Karlstad/Swedish Armed Forces
![A ship at sea.]()
USS Arleigh Burke and HMS Karlstad seen through the periscope of a Swedish submarine.
Photo: 1st Submarine Flotilla/Swedish Armed Forces
![HMS Karlstad together with foreign partners.]()
HMS Karlstad together with foreign partners.
Photo: German Navy
The Visby corvette HMS Karlstad has just anchored at the naval base after 12 days in the Baltic Sea. The ship has been part of a combat group comprising of German, American, Italian troops as well as a Finnish ship. Magnus Åkesson, Captain of HMS Karlstad, has just concluded his sixth exercise and now looks back upon an exercise that has developed each year to become excellent and instructive for the Swedish units.
“Baltops covers as many areas as is possible in an exercise. There is an excellent and complete background scenario, strategic communication has a prominent role and we are able to practise rules of engagement in an international environment”, says Magnus Åkesson.
A valuable experience also for the submarine flotilla
The participation of the First submarine flotilla has mainly involved ASW. Taking part in international exercises under international lead has been very worthwhile for Swedish submarine command and for the crew. It indicates how Swedish submarine capability compares on an international level and provides good training, especially for the sensor operators. Exercising in an international, more comprehensive environment with a complex scenario enhances the capability of joint combined operations.