US troops monitor the Baltic Sea from Utö under NATO mission

American troops have spent about a month monitoring the Baltic Sea from Utö as part of NATO’s Baltic Sentry operation, Yle reports. The mission aims to protect underwater cables and other critical infrastructure.

The size of the US contingent has not been disclosed. The troops are monitoring for possible threats both above and below the water, as NATO seeks to strengthen its underwater surveillance capabilities.

Finnish Navy Commander Tuomas Tiilikainen has described NATO’s contribution as important. Finland is also learning about US systems through the operation.

Staff Sergeant Metzger, who withheld his full name because of his profession, said he was surprised to find people living on the island. “It’s really beautiful here. There’s hardly anywhere like it back home,” he said.

The troops’ mobile phones remain switched off during their stay, and they cannot contact family or friends while in Finland. Metzger said the group has spent time reading, playing cards and board games, and enjoying the landscape.

Utö has about 40 permanent residents. Islanders were informed of the soldiers’ arrival through a notice at the local shop. Some residents said they were glad the troops were there, while others said they had had little contact with them. The soldiers would like to talk more with locals, but language barriers and busy schedules can limit conversations.

Weather in the Archipelago Sea has posed challenges, including for drone flights. Winds reached about 14 metres per second, with gusts of 19, before calmer, sunny weather allowed a drone to take off the following day. Some troops monitored the operation from the sea and others from a screen near the lighthouse.

Military activity is not new to Utö: conscript training continued there until 2005, and former barracks have since been converted into accommodation. The soldiers have also been tempted to swim in the sea, where the water is below 10 degrees Celsius.