Great power competition at top of mind for NATO naval exercise
A sailor takes in the view from the front of the U.S. Navy destroyer Bainbridge as the ship is positioned for a photo exercise during BALTOPS 2018 on June 9. (Theron J. Godbold/U.S. Navy)A U.S. Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams tank attached to Tank Platoon, Fox Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit takes on a night operation in Poland as part of NATO's BALTOPS 2018 exercise. (Dengrier M. Baez/U.S. Marine Corps)The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Bainbridge fires its 5-inch gun during naval surface fire support for BALTOPS 2018 on June 7. (Theron J. Godbold/U.S. Navy)A U.S. Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams tank participates in a live-fire target exercise during BALTOPS 2018 on June 9. (Adam C. Stapleton/U.S. Navy)The view of the BALTOPS fleet from inside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Bainbridge, as captured June 9. (Theron J. Godbold/U.S. Navy)Try to keep dry! A U.S. Marine Corps Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement attached to Combat Logistics Battalion 26, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit drives on shore during exercise BALTOPS 2018 at Ustka, Poland, on June 7. (Dengrier M. Baez/U.S. Marine Corps)Keeping up foreign relations: A U.S. Marine shows off the M4A1 carbine rifle to Romanian marines taking part in a BALTOPS operation in Kairai, Lithuania, on June 4. (Dengrier M. Baez/U.S. Marine Corps)A Spanish Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon simulates close-air support during a BALTOPS 2018 scenario at Ustka, Poland, on June 7. (Dengrier M. Baez/U.S. Marine Corps)A big part of BALTOPS is focused on developing ties between allies, but sometimes, national pride still wins out. Here, U.S. sailors assigned to the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship Mount Whitney hold an American flag after winning a captain’s cup sports tournament June 2 in Lithuania. (James Decker/U.S. Navy)