Polish mine countermeasure vessels join NATO’s Freezing Winds 2025 in the northern Baltic Sea
The Polish Navy has completed its second participation in Freezing Winds 2025, one of NATO’s key northern maritime exercises hosted by Finland in the Gulf of Finland and the southern Gulf of Bothnia. This year’s edition brought together around 5,000 personnel, multiple surface units, air assets and joint support elements from across the Alliance.
In brief
The Polish Navy completed its second participation in NATO exercise Freezing Winds 2025, hosted by Finland in the Gulf of Finland and the southern Gulf of Bothnia with around 5,000 personnel. Poland deployed two ships of the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla: the mine countermeasure vessel ORP Albatros and the minesweeper ORP Necko, operating within SNMCMG1 under the PKW Noteć deployment. Both units carried out mine hunting, route surveying and protection of maritime infrastructure in the Finnish Archipelago Sea. Poland first joined the exercise in 2023 under PKW Czernicki.
Poland deployed two ships from the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla: the mine countermeasure vessel ORP Albatros and the minesweeper ORP Necko, the latter currently operating within NATO’s SNMCMG1 under the PKW Noteć deployment. Both units conducted mine hunting, route surveying, protection of maritime infrastructure and coordination drills with allied MCM forces in highly demanding conditions of the Finnish Archipelago Sea.
According to Lt. Cmdr. Michał Bober, Commanding Officer of ORP Albatros, navigating and operating among thousands of islands, narrow channels and shallow waters significantly strengthened the crew’s operational proficiency, particularly in the use of autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicles.
Freezing Winds – once a national Finnish exercise – has rapidly evolved into a major multinational platform after Finland joined NATO. Poland first took part in 2023 under PKW Czernicki, with ORP Kontradmirał X. Czernicki, ORP Drużno and ORP Hańcza forming a core element of the exercise’s MCM component.
This year’s participation further underscores Poland’s long-term commitment to Baltic Sea security, the nation’s growing role within NATO’s mine countermeasure forces, and its ability to operate effectively in integrated Allied formations.
Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
Related articles
Maritime economy Poland’s constitutional crisis is also a maritime story 
Navy and defence Norwegian submarine Utstein completes NATO patrol guarding offshore oil and undersea infrastructure 
Safety and rescue Polish SAR’s new rescue vessel Mistral launched at Kewatec in Finland 
Safety and rescue Icelandic Coast Guard and police delegation visits Polish Border Guard’s Maritime Division 
Safety and rescue Polish Navy helicopter evacuates man from Baltic platform 100 km off Władysławowo 
Navy and defence SNMG2 joins Allied warships in PASSEX as Italy's Mare Aperto 2026 gets under way
Comments (0)
The discussion is moderated by the editors: a comment appears after review. Your e-mail address is not published.
Nobody has commented on this article yet.