NATO warships and helicopters train in Black Sea

NATO forces are conducting major naval exercises in the Black Sea as part of Exercise Sea Shield 2025, with warships and helicopters operating across multiple domains in a show of allied unity and combat readiness.

Led by Romania, the exercise brings together naval, air, and special forces units from 12 nations. Training scenarios span a wide range of environments—maritime, riverine, coastal, underwater, land, and aerial—demonstrating NATO’s ability to operate jointly in complex theatres of conflict.

Ships and embarked aircraft conduct helicopter operations during Exercise Sea Shield 2025 in the #BlackSea. Units from 12 nations are taking part in the Romanian-led national exercise with training scenarios covering multiple combat environments, including maritime, riverine,… pic.twitter.com/SqixGRaiy8

— NATO Maritime Command (@NATO_MARCOM) April 7, 2025

Footage and images shared by NATO Maritime Command show helicopter operations being carried out from allied vessels, with embarked aircraft rehearsing maritime strike and support missions in high-threat settings.

The Black Sea has become an increasingly contested region since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Drills like Sea Shield aim to reinforce security for NATO’s eastern flank, strengthen regional coordination, and test interoperability between participating forces.

NATO described the exercise as a crucial opportunity to enhance “deterrence and defence along the Alliance’s southern and eastern peripheries.”

The Romanian Navy is leading the exercise, which will continue over the coming days with a focus on live-fire drills, anti-submarine warfare, and amphibious operations involving multinational forces.