The marines will number around 50 and will aid in supporting and protecting critical undersea infrastructure, the Pentagon has announced.

The personnel come from the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. They are to operate alongside Finland's Coastal Brigade, providing advanced expeditionary surveillance and tactical reconnaissance capabilities.

The deployment comes as Estonia, Finland and other allied nations continue to grapple with a series of cable damage incidents in the region. Most recently, in December 2024, the EstLink 2 power cable between Estonia and Finland and several communication cables were ruptured, with authorities suspecting deliberate sabotage. NATO launched Baltic Sentry in response to these incidents.

Baltic Sentry is a highly integrated collective defense effort, led by European allies under Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum and Allied Maritime Command, with the U.S. Marine Corps serving in a supportive, enabling capacity.

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Daniel Shipley, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, said the operational design was a premium example of European allies leading regional maritime security while the US provides specialized capabilities.

"Our participation in Baltic Sentry demonstrates the dynamic agility of the Marine Corps to rapidly project specialized capabilities where they are most effective," he said. "Working side by side with our Finnish allies strengthens our collective readiness, ensuring we can operate seamlessly as a cohesive, lethal team to deter hybrid threats in the Baltic littoral."

The rotation will use reconnaissance Marines' capabilities, including small unmanned aerial systems and littoral sensors, to feed data into NATO's shared operational picture.

"The experience, skills and systems of the US Marine Corps are perfectly suited for supplementing our situation picture and supporting our monitoring of the Baltic Sea," noted Finnish Navy Capt. Johan Tillander, Finland Navy Command chief of operations.

What is Baltic Sentry?

NATO launched Baltic Sentry in January 2025 to protect critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, including power and data cables, following a series of suspected suspected sabotage incidents. The mission incorporates naval vessels such as frigates, maritime patrol aircraft, naval drones and new sensor technology. Allies are integrating national surveillance assets to improve detection and response. It is led by Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum, based in the Netherlands, with Allied Maritime Command playing a central role in its maritime operations.

Founded in 1775, the U.S. Marine Corps is the the U.S. military's amphibious and expeditionary force, and has been deployed in the Baltic region in various capacities since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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