About 2,000 British military personnel will head to the Baltic Sea next month for multi-national exercises aimed at bolstering European security.

The Ministry of Defence has said the deployment will involve UK marines and sailors as well as another 1,000 other personnel from UK-led high-readiness Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations.

They will face maritime tactical exercises, shore landings, naval manoeuvres and amphibious drills.

The Baltic Protector exercise will run from May until July.

Image: The Royal Navy is amongst the forces taking part

Around 20 naval ships, including several from the Royal Navy, will also head out to the region, as well as members of the British Army and the Royal Air Force.


Defence ministers and representatives from the countries involved will meet this week at the MOD to discuss the exercise and test the mechanisms for mobilising the force.

The JEF was formed in 2014 and members of the UK-led forces include Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Norway.

It exists as a pool of "high readiness, adaptable" forces that aids the UK's ability to respond to deployments, anywhere in the world.

The Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson says: "As Britain prepares to leave the EU, our unwavering commitment to European security and stability is more important than ever."

"Deploying our world class sailors and marines to the Baltic Sea, alongside our international allies, firmly underlines Britain's leading role in Europe."