Baltic Sea Demonstration Shows Capabilities for NATO Task Force X Baltic

[By: Saildrone]

Saildrone, the global leader in maritime autonomy, has successfully concluded its participation in NATO Task Force?X’s multi-domain demonstration in the Baltic Sea—a landmark deployment showcasing the capability, reliability, and international utility of its Saildrone Voyager uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

From June?16 to?27, 2025, four Saildrone Voyagers operated in both the Gulf of Finland and the western Baltic Sea as part of NATO’s innovative Task Force?X Baltic initiative. Led by NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT), in coordination with NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM) and the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), the demonstration aimed to integrate uncrewed systems into active Allied maritime operations.

“We are honored to have participated in the NATO Task Force X Baltic Initiative. After eight years of operating Saildrone USVs in the Bering Sea, we are well placed to deal with the conditions in the Baltic Sea, which has very similar latitude, water depths, and sea conditions,” said Saildrone founder and CEO Richard Jenkins. “Task Force X Baltic has been fantastic to work with, and we look forward to future missions with NATO partners.”

Throughout the operation, the Saildrone Voyagers maintained a 100% persistent presence on station, delivering 24/7 wide-area surveillance and real-time maritime domain awareness, including continued operations during recent passage of near-gale to gale-force winds and rough seas with waves over 2 meters (6.5 feet) through the area of operation. Saildrone detected and tracked hundreds of vessels daily, and successfully identified the exercises’ “red forces.” Additionally, Saildrone identified real-world dark targets in the area, including Russian “shadow fleet” and military vessels.

Another important success of the deployment was pairing Saildrone’s long-range radar and persistent surveillance capability with high-speed unmanned maritime assets. The Voyagers’ ability to detect contacts of interest at extended range enabled rapid-response investigations by fast-moving uncrewed vessels, demonstrating a layered, autonomous force structure capable of responding to dynamic maritime scenarios in real time.

The four Voyager USVs were deployed from Køge, Denmark, earlier this month. Saildrone operates on a contractor-owned and operated model, meaning it provides end-to-end mission operations and data delivery as a service. This approach enables rapid deployment, scalability, and reduced burden on government or commercial partners.

Saildrone data is integrated into the customer’s common operating picture (COP) and is also available via the Saildrone Mission Portal. Saildrone’s global pilot team worked closely with NATO Maritime Command, delivering responsive, dynamic high-volume tasking to meet the operational objectives of the exercise.

The Baltic Sea demonstration forms part of NATO’s Dynamic Messenger innovation pathway. Task Force?X Baltic continues to advance NATO’s ability to rapidly integrate commercial-off-the-shelf autonomous systems, increasing scalability while preserving high-value crewed assets for critical missions.

Saildrone’s impressive performance in the Baltic Sea further validates the Voyager USV platform’s primacy in defense and security applications, even in the harshest of conditions.