Local Defence Exercise North 1/23 – preparing for disturbance situations in society, inter-agency cooperation, and international interoperability in the region of Lapland

The Jaeger Brigade will lead the Local Defence Exercise North 1/23 in the region of Lapland during 24.2.–3.3.2023. The objective of the exercise is to develop the local troops’ readiness for regional combat and protection missions, as well as to strengthen public authorities’ capability for joint operating in disturbance situations.

Alongside the Finnish Defence Forces’ troops, the exercise will also be participated by personnel from the Lapland Border Guard District, reservists from the National Defence Training Association, as well as public authorities and personnel from the Lapland Police Department, Lapland Rescue Department, City of Rovaniemi, Wellbeing Services County of Lapland, Kemijoki Oy Ltd, Lapland Regional State Administrative Agency, Finavia, and YLE Lapland. 
The US training audience troops training at the Jaeger Brigade on 6.2. – 7.3.2023 will participate in the exercise at Rovajärvi. 
The total strength of the exercise’s training audience will be up to c. 950 personnel, of whom altogether 250 will be reservists.
The exercise will be commanded by Commander of the Jaeger Brigade, Colonel Kimmo Kinnunen. 

– As before, North 1/23 equals one of the two main annual exercises for inter-agency cooperation. Now this exercise implementation will involve an international element in the form of the US troops’ participation relating to the military exercise activity at Rovajärvi and to the observer’s role concerning Rovaniemi inter-agency cooperation drilling. This exercise will also include more cooperation with City of Rovaniemi and industry in the region, which in turn will increase society’s overall preparedness for disturbance situations and improve readiness for interoperable cooperating, Jaeger Brigade’s Deputy Commander Colonel Jukka Kotilehto says.

The main effort of the exercise’s military training activity will be in the area of Rovajärvi. During 28.2. –2.3.2023, inter-agency cooperation activity will be exercised in Rovaniemi in the areas of Rinteenkulma shopping centre, Porokatu 35 educational building, Vaaranlammi school, and Kemijoki Oy Ltd. In Kemi, exercise activity will be conducted in the area of the airfield on 2.3.2023. 

The exercise will have personnel and vehicles from the Finnish Defence Forces’ on the move across the given areas. The training audience troops will use blank drilling ammunition that pose no danger but may cause noise.  The areas utilised for training and exercise activity will be cordoned off, and the military police will guide and control movement.

Public authorities will drill inter-agency cooperation in Rinteenkulma shopping centre in the early hours of 28.2.2023. The drilling will have no effect on the vicinity or daily functions of the shopping centre. Parking restrictions will apply in the shopping centre’s parking area. For the duration of the drilling, the shopping centre will be closed for administrative use.

On 1.3.2023, the Lapland Police Department will lead a situation drill in Porokatu 35 educational building. The school’s personnel and pupils will participate in the first part of the situation drill. Public authorities will exercise cooperation in the latter part of the drill in the same environment. This situation drill will be implemented as part of the local defence exercise entity.

– The main objective of the police-led situation drill is to improve inter-agency cooperation as is the case in all joint exercises. We have planned the situation drills so that they especially focus on joint leading of the operating activity, standardised practices and communications. On the local level, it is vital for us to know other authorities, and these exercises offer us an optimal opportunity for this, Police Sergeant Petteri Väänänen from the Lapland Police Department summarises. 

The exercise will be part of the Army Command -led local defence exercise entity. 
The exercise can be followed on the social media channels of the Army and Jaeger Brigade with #pohjoinen23 #paikallisturvallisuus and #paikallispuolustajat.