Keywords: Swedish Navy Officer during BALTOPS 2003.jpg en 030613-N-4374S-014 Baltic Sea Jun 13 2003 -- A Swedish Officer assigned to fast patrol boat HSwMS Norrkoping R 131 observes the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf CG 72 and the German oiler FGS Rhoen A 1443 in the Baltic Sea during the annual maritime exercise Baltic Operations 2003 BALTOPS The United States and 12 other nations are participating in this year's exercise BALTOPS 2003 is intended to improve interoperability between allies and Partnership for Peace countries by conducting support operations at sea including exercises in gunnery replenishment at sea undersea warfare radar tracking mine countermeasures seamanship search and rescue maritime interdiction operations and scenarios dealing with potentially real world crises U S Navy photo by Photographer ™s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg RELEASED http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 8160 Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg 2003-06-13 PD-USGov-Military-Navy Naval officers of Sweden BALTOPS 2003 USS Vella Gulf CG-72 A1443 Rhön ship 1974 Bundeswehr in 2003 HMS Norrköping R131 |