NATO's secret weapon: Industrial power in the Baltic Sea

Vice Admiral Sir Nicholas Hine, in an interview with the portal wnp.pl, highlighted the key factors in the competition between Russia and NATO in the Baltic Sea. He noted that Poland receives many goods by sea and should not give up its fleet. He also indicated that achieving an advantage over Russia requires a "sixth domain."

According to some experts, after Sweden and Finland joined NATO, the Baltic Sea became an internal lake of the Alliance. However, there are still valid concerns that the Baltic Sea will remain a contested area with Russia in the future. This is extremely important from our country's perspective, as there are strategic investments for our economy along the coast, such as the LNG terminal in Świnoujście and the Baltic Pipe.

Therefore, discussions on the shape of the Polish Navy are currently ongoing. The answer to these challenges lies in the "Orka" and "Miecznik" programs. The first, aiming to acquire submarines for our country, is on hold, although potential producers are coming forward. Recently, there has been talk of the British company Babcock. Meanwhile, the "Miecznik" program, related to the construction of multi-purpose frigates, is currently underway. Babcock is already participating in this project.

Sir Nicholas Hine, former Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Navy, gave an interview to the wnp.pl service. Hine pointed out that NATO's key task in the Baltic is to deter a potential adversary, which, for obvious reasons, is Russia. When asked how one could defeat the aggressor in the Baltic Sea region, he said,

NATO would need many capabilities and advantages in all domains: on land, on water, in the air, cyberspace, and outer space. But particularly in what is referred to as the next, sixth domain. That's industrial potential - Hine indicated. - NATO must therefore have sufficient industrial capabilities to create and maintain activity in the Baltic Sea region. We have already seen this on land, especially in the case of artillery ammunition - he added.

Hine pointed out that for him, as a sailor, the priority is having submarine capabilities but with the ability to project power on land. This means having units equipped with cruise missiles for land attacks, as well as surface-to-air missiles to protect NATO forces at sea.

Hine was asked by journalist Łukasz Maziewski about what type of submarines Poland should have. The admiral stated that the Baltic Sea is a closed body of water, so despite higher costs, it is necessary to consider purchasing a submarine capable of operating in the North Sea and the Atlantic.

This provides greater room for maneuver, greater operational advantage, and the ability to hide, considering that the Baltic Sea is a closed sea with significant hazards - Hine acknowledged.

Admiral Hine stated outright that the greatest threat to NATO in the Baltic is the Russians and that the body of water should not be treated as "NATO's internal sea" as long as the adversary operates there.