The multinational naval exercise, Northern Coasts, hosted by the Finnish Navy, began in the Baltic Sea on 13 September.

The exercise includes 50 warships and 4,000 naval personnel, ten helicopters and 25 aircraft from 13 countries along with participation from the army and air components.

The exercise is designed as a crisis management operation to meet security threats such as terrorism, smuggling and piracy, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The naval drills, which will last till 24 September, aim to improve the interoperability between the participating units and countries with emphasis on maritime operations in confined and shallow waters.

Finland is hosting the military exercise for the first time. It was previously hosted by Germany.