Technology plays a Crucial Role in Harbor Defense during BALTOPS 2026

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City and Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Group (UUVGRU) One executed a multi-national harbor protection demonstration to show how the advancement of technology plays a crucial role in protecting the Navy’s assets during exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2026.

There was essential tactical support from Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1, Underwater Construction Team (UCT) One Construction Dive Detachment Charlie (CDD/C), Netherlands Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), and a Latvian boat crew.

“I campaigned for the harbor protection counter unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) demonstration in BALTOPS to strengthen our relationships with our Baltic allies and partners to address the emerging threat of unmanned systems,” said Charles Humphrey, a science advisor with the Office of Navy Research-Global.

The demonstration showcased three emerging technologies including an expeditionary air curtain, an artificial kelp UUV net, and sea water neutralization charges which are designed to counter UUV threats.

The expeditionary air curtain is a rapidly deployable underwater system that is used to protect mission-critical assets below the waterline. The air curtain defends against UUV threats and can be used at Naval bases and military installations as well as ports and harbors by aerating the water to affect the UUVs depth sensors, acoustic sensors, buoyancy and propulsion.

“We are testing the air curtain to see how it disrupts and hinders UUV sensors. It is a quick, expeditionary solution because it can be deployed easily,” said Javi Handal, a Senior Electrical Engineer with NSWC Panama City.

UUVGRU-1 played a huge role in testing the air curtain technology by conducting operations using the Iver3 UUV.

The purpose of a UUV is that it navigates autonomously and executes a pre-programmed mission profile which can last from hours to several months depending on the size and type of the vehicle. When conducting a standard sortie, the UUV uses on-board sensors to gather intelligence. Tasks can include seabed mapping, mine detection, or electronic surveillance. Once the UUV is recovered, the collected data can be downloaded and analyzed.

“The reason the Iver is such a great vehicle is the capabilities of its employment. It takes very little logistics to actually get it in the water and to operate it,” said Fire Control Technician 1st Class Zane Elliott, assigned to UUVGRU-1. “We can easily get a vehicle out in the water and conduct a survey, or do whatever we need to do. It’s the employment of the small vehicles that are so much faster, so you are able to get on the scene and get what you need done accomplished.”

UUVGRU-1 is able to provide critical insights by running sorties and working in tandem with the Naval Surface Warfare Center. Using the UUV to go through the air curtain will allow both sides to see how their technologies operate and respond. Both of these capabilities are important to the warfighting mission and strengthening deterrence efforts.

“At UUVGRU-1, we like to say ‘extend the reach,’ but this is truly the future of warfighting with robotics warfare. It will save more Sailors’ lives, and it’s going to increase our capability as a warfighting force, tenfold,” said Elliott.

Chief Electronics Technician, Submarine Navigation, Jabril Smith, assigned to UUVGRU-1, explained an important characteristic of the UUV. He said that it can outfit the necessary payloads to fit whatever the mission is, and it is able to gather metric data which can be analyzed by the experts. The data is very useful for the NSWC team because it is important for them to find expendable and expeditionary solutions to counteract UUV threats.

“Each time we conduct these operations, we are able to evolve,” said Handal. “It is helpful to know what specific sensors are affected, so we can learn how to be able to effectively operate better.”

NSWC and UUVGRU-1 were able to collaborate in order to strengthen the Navy’s operational readiness. For both commands, being able to participate in BALTOPS reaches beyond being able to employ technology.

“I think it is important to be able to showcase our capabilities and work with our NATO partners and allies. Being able to participate in exercises such as this allows us to counter active world threats,” said Handal.

For UUVGRU-1, being able to participate in BALTOPS means being able to expand their knowledge and operate outside their normal working environment.

“First and foremost, it serves as a means of building relations with foreign nations and its occupants. Also, it serves as an excellent training opportunity for our service members, so they are able to get outside of their normal operating environment and see things we don’t normally see,” said Smith.

Key regional partners and observers monitoring the event included the Latvian Navy, the Chief of Staff of the Lithuanian Navy Sea and Coastal Surveillance, and the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) Innovation Department.

BALTOPS is the premier annual maritime exercise in the Baltic Sea region. There are approximately 6,000 personnel from 15 Allied nations participating in BALTOPS. This is the 55th iteration of the U.S. led exercise that focuses on strengthening deterrence, building interoperability, command-and-control milestones, and securing critical infrastructure.

Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allies, international partners, and other U.S. government departments and agencies to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa.