It was at the beginning of October that the robot destroyer was in the Bothnian Sea together with a Swedish corvette and a Finnish minesweeper.
The intention was to practice air defense and naval target combat, i.e. attacks and defense against other ships.
But the exercise served more purposes. The US presence in the area is an event that becomes a kind of signal to Russia.
- In real time, we may not say it outright. But of course we use such events as a projection of military power, and what NATO's capabilities are and where it can act, says Paula Wallenburg.
She continues:
- We practice and perform where we consider it necessary to protect our values. The Bothnian Sea is part of it. So yes, it is clear that there will be a signalling.
The Bothnian Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia are important supply lines to Finland in a crisis situation. The ports of Luleå, Umeå, Sundsvall and Gävle can be used to ship supplies and troops across the sea.
- The Gulf of Bothnia has been abandoned for quite a few years, but now it has been clearly stated that one of Sweden's most important roles is to be a rear logistics area for what happens eastwards in Finland and the Baltics, says Johan Granholm, teacher at the Norwegian Defense Academy.
He points out that 90 percent of Sweden's imports and exports go on ships. For Finland, sea lanes are also crucial.
- The rail and road connections from Sweden to Finland are not very extensive. They are quite easy to cut. Then of course the Swedish Armed Forces want to be able to ensure that harbors and inlets are kept clean, says Johan Granholm.
In September, the Swedish navy practiced mine clearance between Sundsvall and Härnösand – also a way to keep northern ports accessible.
- If you want to ship things over to Finland, you can't just stick to the southern routes, but then you have to make sure that passages across the Bothnian Sea can be kept open, says Johan Granholm.
The USS Paul Ignatius is a so-called robotic destroyer. The ship can fire a variety of missiles, including Tomahawk missiles, which can reach targets up to 150 miles away.
The US has previously flagged for removing ships and aircraft from what is known as the NATO force model, i.e. the NATO forces that should be able to assemble quickly and meet an attack.
The number of US brigades in Europe has also been reduced from five to three, and the Pentagon is conducting a review of the US military presence in Europe.
The visit from the USS Paul Ignatius also shows that the US Navy can and wants to be present in the Baltic Sea area. "An investment in the stability of the region," says the ship's commander in a comment.
A month ago, a Russian frigate fired emergency missiles at a Danish reconnaissance helicopter, and the Danish military intelligence service, FE, assesses that Russia is acting increasingly aggressively against NATO forces in the Baltic Sea region.
But the Swedish assessment is more tentative.
As head of operations, Paula Wallenburg leads the military ships that carry out operations outside Sweden's coastline, and she receives daily situational pictures of the situation at sea.
She considers the intermezzo with the frigate and the helicopter to be a single incident that stands out, but does not see it as an example of a growing trend of more aggressive Russian behavior.
- The situation in the Baltic Sea is serious but stable. We have seen an increased Russian presence at sea for a couple of years, but we have not seen any major changes in recent months, says Paula Wallenburg.
