Army training and exercise activity this spring will develop capability for international interoperable operating

The Army will exercise across Finland and abroad during May-June. The objective of the exercises involves further developing Army interoperability and interoperable operating with forces of the alliance and with Sweden.

The training and exercising activity for the spring will start in the Swedish Armed Forces -led exercise Aurora 23 in Southern Sweden during 1–11 May 2023. The exercise will be participated by the Finnish Defence Forces’ units from all services and from the Logistics Command. From the Army, the exercise will be participated by a jaeger battalion from the Pori Brigade, and by a ground-based air defence element from the Armoured Brigade, altogether c. 700 troops in total. In the exercise, the Army battalion-level unit will operate under the command of a Swedish brigade.

In Finland, the international training and exercise activity will start with the Armoured Brigade -led mechanised exercise Arrow 23 at Niinisalo during 1–14 May 2023. The exercise will be participated by units from the Armoured Brigade, Karelia Brigade, Jaeger Brigade, Army Academy, Utti Jaeger Regiment, and Defence Command subordinated establishments. The exercise will involve Air Force and Army aviation flight activity. The total strength of the training audience forces will be c. 2,200 soldiers, of whom c. 850 will be allies’ troops from the armies of the U.K., Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and the U.S.A.

In Northern Finland, exercising will be led by the Army Academy in the exercise Lightning Strike 23 during 15–26 May 2023, and in Northern Forest 23 from 27 May to 2 June 2023. The exercises will be participated by units from the Army brigade-level units, Air Force, Finnish Border Guard, FDF C5Agency, Centre for Military Medicine, and Logistics Command. The exercises will involve up to c. 8,000 soldiers, of whom c. 1,100 will be international troops from the U.S.A, the U.K., Sweden, and Norway.  

The Utti Jaeger Regiment will lead the exercise Southern Griffin 23 in Southern Finland during 10–21 May 2023. The exercise will be participated by the Finnish Defence Forces’ service personnel, agencies’ representatives, and international partners from the U.S.A. and Europe. The total strength of the exercise’s training audience will be c. 1,150 personnel. The training audience’s operating activity will be visible on land, at sea, and in the skies across the area of southern Finland.

The Karelia Brigade -led exercise Karelian Lock 23 will be held in Southeastern Finland from 26 May to 2 June 2023. The exercise will be participated by units from the Karelia Brigade, Army Academy, Pori Brigade, Armoured Brigade, Air Force, Finnish Border Guard, Logistics Command, and FDF C5Agency. The exercise will involve visiting forces from the U.S. Army. The total strength of the exercise’s training audience will be c. 7,000 soldiers of whom c. 440 will be international troops. 

The Kainuu Brigade will lead the exercise Northern Belt 23 in the area of Kajaani and Vuosanka during 2–19 June 2023. The exercise will involve training audience units from the Kainuu Brigade and from the U.S. Army. The total strength of the exercise’s training audience will be 340 soldiers, of whom c. 160 will be international troops.

During the spring, the Army will also participate on a small scale in the exercise Brave Beduin in Denmark during 23–27 April 2023, as well as in the exercise Adriatric Strike in Slovenia from 29 May to 9 June 2023.  

– International training and exercising activity will develop the interoperability of Army forces and procedures, and enhance interoperable operating. At national level, we will deepen our competence in receiving and supporting international forces as regards maintenance and logistics, DCOS Army Readiness, Colonel Kari Kaakinen says.

The exercise drills this spring will be participated by conscripts, reservists, and service personnel as applicable from the Army brigade-level units and from the other services. In May and June, the total number of international troops in Finland will vary in accordance with the ongoing exercise drills in-progress.

– Training and exercise activity will support sustained competence of conscripts, reservists, and service personnel both on individual soldier’s level and on force level. In practice, the exercising of the international forces will align on the Army annual plan and brigade-level units’ training rhythm. Additionally, the exercise drills this spring will also include the closing battles for the conscripts about to muster out into the reserve, Colonel Kaakinen says. 

The arrival of international training audience forces’ personnel and equipment in Finland will be in phases. The given exercise-leading brigade-level units will inform about the upcoming exercises in more detail before exercise start.