Senior Navy and civilian defense officials from 13 countries and NATO Maritime Command met in Copenhagen, Denmark for the 2018 Cooperative Strategy Forum Oct. 9 and 10.

Co-hosted by the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and the Royal Danish Defense College, the Forum addressed evolving maritime security challenges in the Baltic region.  The event included presentations by U.S. and European scholars and a table top exercise led by the U.S. Naval War College. 

"Our goal in co-hosting these forums is twofold.  First, we seek to strengthen and deepen the bonds among our allies and partners," said Vice Admiral James Malloy, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5). "Our second goal is to reach a shared understanding of strategic challenges that face allied and partner nations and how these are manifest in the maritime domain, in order to identify and advance collaborative solutions."

In a keynote speech Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet, based in Naples, Italy, emphasized the need to work together in the dynamic operational environment of the Baltic Sea region.

"No single nation can ensure security and stability in this region alone,” said Franchetti. “We must all be committed to ensuring open sea lines of communication and freedom of movement in the Baltic Sea.”

The third Cooperative Strategy Forum organized by the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, this is the first to be co-hosted with another nation.  Previous forums took place in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2015 and Naples, Italy in 2016.