US Army launches 70,000-foot balloon test for affordable Baltic surveillance

The U.S. Army plans to launch high-altitude Micro-HAB balloons from Sweden in early May 2026 for a 24- to 30-hour flight over the Baltic corridor.

The balloons will reach 60,000 to 70,000 feet and test sensing and communications payloads with NATO allies, ending in Latvia.

The exercise is part of the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative and aims to improve NATO interoperability and border monitoring.

If successful, the test could give NATO a cheaper, longer-duration way to watch and communicate across the alliance’s eastern flank.