The KEHÄ17 local defence exercise led by the Guard Jaeger Regiment will be held on 6–10 March 2017 in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.
The goal of the exercise is to improve the readiness and capability of local troops and develop cooperation with the authorities in demanding and diverse threat scenarios in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
The exercise will involve approximately 800 soldiers from the Guard Jaeger Regiment, the Pori Brigade, the Armoured Brigade, the Satakunta Air Command, the Coastal Fleet and the Uudenmaa Brigade. In addition to conscript troops, the exercise will also involve reservists from the East and Central Uusimaa Local Defence troops, among others. The exercise will be led by the Guard's Battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ari Lehmuslehti.
In the exercise, military police will be trained in action and the controlled use of force when working amongst the civilian population and repelling special forces. Cooperation with other authorities will be practiced in the operations led by the Helsinki Police Department, focusing on the search and seizure of dangerous individuals. The local battalion's tasks will also include the protection of sites, personnel and material. The exercise will improve the local knowledge of the participating troops, while also providing brigade-level units with the opportunity to share best practices in regard to military police expertise with each other.
The troops will be operating in the Helsinki metropolitan area around the clock in battle dress and equipped with assault rifles. The Finnish Defence Forces' staff will wear yellow safety vests on top of their battle gear. The blanks used by the troops participating in the exercise may cause noise between 7 am and 10 pm in the following areas: Länsimäki, Vuosaari, Laajasalo, Herttoniemi, Viikinmäki ja Santahamina.
The KEHÄ17 exercise is being held at the same time as the KYMI1/17 and OULU17 local defence exercises in Southeast Finland and the Oulu region.
Follow the exercise online:
facebook.com/maavoimat #maavoimat #KEHÄ17
twitter.com/maavoimat @maavoimat
instagram.com/puolustusvoimat.fi
For more details:
Public Information Officer Juuso Metsälä, +358 299 421 233, [email protected]
