US Marines Conduct Amphibious Landing Exercise on Estonia's Saaremaa Island

A U.S. Marine Corps force reconnaissance unit conducted an amphibious landing on Estonia's largest island, Saaremaa, on June 16 as part of the BALTOPS 2026 exercise. Photographs released by the Estonian Defense Forces show the unit moving from the sea to the shore during the night, with the Sõrve Lighthouse in the background.

Earlier this month, ERR News reported that the 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion was training with Estonia's navy during the exercise. "Exercise BALTOPS allows us to sharpen our skills in conducting amphibious and coastal defense operations," said Major Patrick Sexton, commander of the U.S. contingent. "The United States Marine Corps is integrated into Estonian Navy operations to project overwhelming force from sea to land. The goal is to maintain a military advantage that enables allies to act decisively and win wars in the Baltic Sea region," he added.

According to the Estonian Defense Forces, this is the fifth time since 2022 that U.S. Marines have cooperated with the Estonian Navy in this format. The 55th annual BALTOPS exercise concluded on June 19, involving approximately 6,000 personnel and over 30 ships and aircraft from 15 nations: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.