Aerial reconnaissance protects NATO infrastructure in the Baltic Sea
To protect the critical underwater infrastructure of NATO countries, the German Air Force is participating in the NATO Baltic Sentry mission with the German Heron TP (GHTP) reconnaissance drone. This drone is operated, maintained and evaluated for the Air Force by Airbus DS Airborne Solutions (ADAS).
The unmanned German Heron TP drone is optimally equipped to monitor the sea routes in the Baltic Sea with its high-resolution cameras and modern sensors and radar. It transmits the information it collects in real time to NATO agencies, which thereby get a bird’s eye view. Thanks to its modern technology and an altitude of 12,500 meters, the drone is virtually impossible for potential aggressors on the water to detect. This gives NATO forces a decisive advantage. They can identify potential threats at an early stage and take measures to defend NATO infrastructure.
“We at ADAS are proud to support the German Armed Forces and NATO in the deployment of the system in national and collective defence by operating the GHTP system in European airspace,” emphasizes Ralf Hastedt, Managing Director Sales and Business Development at Airbus DS Airborne Solutions GmbH. He continues: ”With its diverse capabilities, the system is suitable for monitoring not only European borders, but also adjacent areas such as sea areas. Particularly in the current conflict-ridden times, we are making an important contribution to defence and security in Europe, both today and in the future.”
What is Baltic Sentry?
The task of Baltic Sentry is to protect the critical underwater infrastructure of NATO member states in Europe, such as data cables and pipelines. To this end, the military presence in the Baltic Sea is being increased to deter aggressors from possible acts of sabotage and to investigate suspicious activities. In the event of attacks on NATO infrastructure, the boarding of suspicious ships cannot be ruled out, as the Finnish authorities did in December 2024.