During the exercises, the aircraft crews learned how to act in the event of an emergency water landing, how to safely leave the aircraft, and how to use the available rescue equipment. Such training allows practical rehearsal of actions in a situation where the crew must survive and wait for help after an accident at sea.
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The active part of the exercise took place in the Baltic Sea. The training simulated situations that the aircraft crew might face after an emergency water landing. The soldiers trained not only to survive the emergency situation but also to maintain vitality and readiness for the rescue operation.
Flying personnel must participate in this type of water survival training every three years. Periodic refreshment of practical skills ensures that aircraft crews are prepared to act properly in the event of an emergency water landing and survive until rescuers arrive.
The “Baltic Bikini” exercises are not only aimed at individual soldiers’ skills. They also strengthen cooperation and interaction between military units of different Baltic countries. Such training allows crews and rescue forces to better prepare to act together in a real accident.
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The 2026 exercise was organized by the Latvian Air Force. The participation of Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian soldiers allowed for experience exchange and joint improvement of procedures to be applied when searching for and rescuing the crew of an aircraft that has crashed over water.
Before the joint exercises, Baltic soldiers separately prepared to perform actions necessary to survive after an emergency water landing. Such preparation is an important part of joint training because it allows soldiers to arrive at the joint exercise phase already possessing the necessary basic skills.
The international sea survival exercises “Baltic Bikini” began in 1999, when Lithuania and Denmark started cooperating in search and rescue. The first training was organized in Denmark, where Baltic soldiers were provided with knowledge and practical skills to help survive and escape after an aircraft emergency water landing. Since 2004, the Baltic countries have organized the exercises independently, holding them annually on a rotational basis in Lithuania, Latvia, or Estonia.
