PORTLAND, England –
Exercise Sea Breeze 2026 concluded July 24, marking the successful completion of the 26th iteration of the annual multinational maritime exercise co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine.
Conducted in two iterations across Romania, the United Kingdom, and Latvia, Sea Breeze 2026 brought together Allied and partner forces to strengthen interoperability, improve warfighting readiness, and enhance collective maritime capabilities through realistic, multinational training. This year's exercise emphasized amphibious operations, Mine Countermeasure (MCM) operations, multinational command and control, and the integration of emerging unmanned technologies in support of regional maritime security.
"The success of Sea Breeze 2026 belongs to the Sailors, Marines, divers, explosive ordnance disposal technicians, and staff from every participating nation who trained side by side over the past two months,” said Capt. Bill Williams, commodore, Mine Countermeasures Group 6. “Every evolution, whether planning operations in a multinational headquarters, hunting mines with unmanned systems, or conducting amphibious and dive operations, made our teams more interoperable and more combat ready. That experience cannot be replicated in a classroom. It is built through trust, repetition, and shared commitment. These relationships will strengthen our ability to operate together whenever and wherever we are needed."
The first iteration, Sea Breeze 26-1, hosted by Romania June 3-19 in the Babadag Training Area and Danube Delta region, focused on amphibious operations, multinational command and control and the integration of Ukrainian battalion staff headquarters with Allied and partner mentors. Participating forces conducted riverine operations, amphibious planning, and combined land training designed to improve interoperability in complex operational environments.
The second iteration, Sea Breeze 26-2, hosted by the United Kingdom in Portland July 13-24, centered on mine countermeasure operations, explosive ordnance disposal, dive and salvage missions, unmanned underwater and surface systems, and multinational command-and-control training. The exercise culminated in integrated maritime operations demonstrating the combined capabilities of Allied and partner naval forces. There was also dive and salvage operations in Latvia.
"Sea Breeze 2026 demonstrated what modern warfighting demands: trusted partnerships, integrated command and control and the ability to adapt together in complex maritime environments,” said Rear Adm. Kelly C. Ward, director, Strategic Effects for Commander U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa Commander, commander, Task Force One Six Six, commander, Task Force Six Six. “From amphibious operations in Romania to mine countermeasure missions in the United Kingdom, every participating nation strengthened the collective readiness and interoperability that make our combined force more capable, more agile, and more prepared to deter aggression and defend our shared security. Exercises like Sea Breeze ensure we continue learning, innovating, and building combat credibility that preserves stability throughout the region."
Sea Breeze 2026 included forces from Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Japan, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and NATO Allied Maritime Command. Throughout both iterations, participating nations strengthened interoperability, refined multinational command-and-control processes, and increased collective readiness to respond to maritime challenges in the Black Sea region and beyond.
Since 1997, Exercise Sea Breeze has brought together Black Sea nations, NATO Allies and partners together to train and operate with NATO members in the pursuit of building increased capabilities. Exercise Sea Breeze 2026 is an annual multinational maritime exercise, involving sea, land, and air components co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine to enhance interoperability and capability among participating forces.
Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allies, international partners, and other U.S. government departments and agencies to advance U.S. national interests, security, and stability in Europe and Africa.