THE US PRESENCE IN THE BALTIC SEA
May 2022 - USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG),
... and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), are operating in the Baltic Sea to strengthen interoperability with key NATO allies and partners since May 2022.
THE WARNING
June 2022 - The C.I.A. had warned European governments of potential attacks on pipelines.The warning was not specific, the officials said, and they declined to say whether Russia was identified as a possible attacker.
The C.I.A. issued a vague warning in June to a number of European nations, including Germany, that the two Nord Stream gas pipelines that carry natural gas from Russia could be targeted in forthcoming attacks, three senior officials familiar with the intelligence said on Tuesday.
[MRT: The warning must been specific, warned nations were Nordstream shareholders but not Russia. It is possible that early September has been mentioned.]
The German publication Der Spiegel was the first to report that the U.S. had provided what intelligence officials call “strategic warning” of a possible attack — a warning that came with no specifics about the likely time or place or manner of a potential strike.
June 2022 - Der Spiegel was the first to report that the The C.I.A...[MRT: Strategic warning sounds pretty specific]
...issued a vague warning in June to a number of European nations, including Germany, that the two Nord Stream gas pipelines that carry natural gas from Russia could be targeted in forthcoming attacks, three senior officials familiar with the intelligence said on Tuesday...
[MRT: The warning was specific to mention that BOTH pipelines are under future threats (note the plural)]
... what intelligence officials call “strategic warning” of a possible attack — a warning that came with no specifics about the likely time or place or manner of a potential strike... The Biden administration, which in the run-up to the war often accused Russia of planning attacks on Ukraine, was careful on Tuesday not to blame Moscow — or anyone else.
[MRT: The USA was not against NS1 but only against over-reliance of their main European partner, Germany on Russian exports through the same pipeline channel. Note that Biden has not promised to physically destroy pipelines, he was re-negotiating so called Merkel´s deal with the new German Chancellor - details here and here]
NOPE IT WAS NOT DURING BALTOPS
[MRT: The Internal (pigging) and external (camera) checkup done by 3rd parties would reveal and charges. Note that Seymour Hersh mentions June, Baltops-22 was July.]
PERHAPS THE FIRST ATTEMPT?
30 Aug 2022 - EU: The Marienborg Declaration - The Baltic Sea Energy Security Summit
30 Aug 2022 - Kearsarge ARG Conducts Maneuvering Exercise with Swedish Navy
31 August 2022 - Gazprom to halt Nord Stream gas for 3-day maintenance. Gas flows to Europe to be disrupted starting August 31
[MRT: This could be because of turbines were returned, post here and here and here.]
31 Aug 2022 - Boris Johnson to visit nuclear submarine yard in latest stop on PM's farewell tour
BoJo said on 31st August 2022: "From the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea, our submarine service is protecting the UK and our allies 24 hours a day, seven days a week"
[MRT: Did he gave an order to proceed or pause the mission?]
2 Sept 2022 - Ben Wallace: Submarines rather than ships could be the Royal Navy's future
1,2,3 Sept 2022 - US Military Helicopters Circled Around Future Nord Stream Leaks For Hours In September
In particular, at the beginning of the month, a US Navy Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter loitered over the location of pipelines in the Baltic Sea near Bornholm for three days in a row on September 1, 2 and 3.
Royal Netherlands Navy NH90 ASW
(helicopters are better than planes due to lower speed for anti-sub warfare)
It is curious that on September 2, almost in parallel with the US military, a military helicopter NH90 of the Dutch Navy was flying in the vicinity of Bornholm Island, probably observing the activities of the Americans....
1 Sept 2022 - Russian Ambassador Summoned To Denmark After Alleged Airspace Violation
[MRT: Several times in the past Russia entered DK TZ without permission to check on own pipelines. This rather excludes the surface approach as a submarine could easily hide in the DK and SWE Territorial zones.]
6 Sept 2022 - USS Arlington (LPD 24) arrives in Visby, Sweden
The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), assigned to the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Visby, Sweden for a scheduled port visit, Sept. 6, 2022.
13 -19 Sept 2022 - From September 13 to 19, the universal landing ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) was in Gdynia.
PERHAPS THERE WAS SOME DELAY IN THE MISSION?
6 Sept 2022 - Liz Truss becomes new PM in UK.
In May, the court granted a provisional moratorium against bankruptcy proceedings for the first time, which was valid until September 10. This period has now been extended by another four months.
The Swiss company behind the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 has received a four-month extension to try to repay its debts.
PERHAPS A SUBMARINE WAS STILL THERE?
In all cases, the trajectories of the US military speak of observation flights or loitering with other targets over a specific section of the water area. Helicopters that made sorties on the night of September 22-23 and 25-26 have especially confusing tracks.
22 Sept 2022 - Kaersarge probe
23 Sept 2022 - Kaersarge probe
23 Sept 2022 - Kaersarge group left Baltic sea
Took off from Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport instead of USS Kearsarge. Anti-submarine warfare helo over the Baltics off the coast of Kaliningrad.
25 Sept 2022 - Unidentified plane over the critical area (24-09-2022)
25 Sept 2022 - Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk
PERHAPS NOR BLEW THE WHISTLE THAT THE MISSION WAS RE-SIGNED UNDER TRUSS? PERHAPS MISSION WAS RELAUNCHED AFTER THE FUNERAL?
19 Sept 2022 - The Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
[MRT: Was Norway briefing USA about possible threat to undersea pipeline infrastructure on 19 Sept 2022]