Lithuanian warship joins Latvia’s Namejs 2026 drills

The Lithuanian Navy mine countermeasures ship Skalvis took part in Latvia’s comprehensive national defence exercise Namejs 2026 from September 14 to 20, LRT reported, citing the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

The exercise marked the first participation of the Baltic naval formation BALTRON in Namejs. Lithuania was represented by Skalvis, which was assigned to BALTRON this year.

The main aim of the exercise was to test and improve Latvia’s armed forces’ ability to carry out national defence tasks and strengthen cooperation with allied forces.

During the maritime phase, the Latvian Navy and BALTRON trained to control territorial waters and sea lanes, allowing allied forces to arrive safely and on time by sea. The drills also focused on coordination between Latvian naval units and BALTRON, navigation, radio communications, surface warfare, mine countermeasures and underwater operations by divers.

Training naval mines were detected during the mine countermeasures operations, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

One of BALTRON’s main tasks was to escort a convoy through a cleared sea area and ensure its safe passage to the port of Riga. The exercise tested procedures for mine countermeasures, maritime surveillance and coordination between different units.

BALTRON was established in 1998. It currently consists of the Latvian Navy command ship Varonis, the Lithuanian Navy mine countermeasures ship Skalvis and an international staff made up of representatives from both countries. In 2026, BALTRON is commanded by Lithuanian Navy Commander Lieutenant Rimantas Preimantas.