Preparations for Lightning Strike 22 started two years ago

Based on a decision taken two years ago, the Army Academy was tasked to lead the exercise Lightning Strike 22, LIST 22, at Rovajärvi on 16-27 May 2022. Arrangements for this major military exercise drill began last year.

The LIST 22 planning task was ordered by the Defence Command to the Army and the Army Academy two years prior to exercise implementation. The exercise’s officer in charge of preparations in the Army Academy is Major Antti Vesterinen.

- The exercise grounds concerning a given exercise are usually ordered by the Defence Command some two years before its start, as the Army Command receives the planning task. The Army Command then functions as the exercise requester, whereas the implementation remains the responsibility of the given Army brigade-level unit. In case of LIST22, the Army Academy is the exercise implementing brigade-level unit, Major Vesterinen explains.

- The initial planning phase of this exercise was attended also by international units but their participation became cancelled in November 2021, Major Vesterinen continues.

Drawn up in the Army Command in cooperation with Army brigade-level units, the exercise’s planning grounds are published approximately a year prior to exercise start. After this, the brigade-level unit leading the exercise will start the planning process and draft the planning order for the exercise.

What does the OIC preparations in the Army Academy do, and which types of preparations does the exercise implementation require?

- The OIC preparations cooperates seamlessly with the Army Command, in particular with their equivalent, the appointed OIC, Major Vesterinen says. 

In cooperation with the Army Command, the exercise’s planning grounds are drawn up so that they consider the requirements set by the Defence Command as well as by Army Inspectors of service branch concerning the exercise aims and objectives.

- The OIC preparations closely cooperates with the Exercise Director, Officer Commanding Exercise, Commandant of the Army Academy, who issues requirements relating to exercise planning, preparations and implementation.

LIST 22 will be commanded by Commandant of the Army Academy, Colonel Sami-Antti Takamaa.

National or multinational exercise?

The planning concerning a given exercise is substantially affected by whether or not a particular exercise’s implementation will be a national or multinational one. The schedules for the preparations of a multinational exercise must consider logistics relating to training audience troop and equipment transfers.

- The exercise’s planning and preparations require cooperation and working groups. The planning for LIST22 has involved a number of working groups that have accounted for the exercise entity’s success and functioning, Major Vesterinen explains.

The WGs represent, for instance, infantry and indirect fires, gaming activity, servicing and logistics, as well as security and safety

- The OIC preparations closely cooperates with the WG leaders, and this cooperation aims to solve any of the challenges faced while the planning is in progress, Major Vesterinen continues.

Army Academy has led major exercises at Rovajärvi for the past seven years

Since 2015, the Army Academy has led major exercise entities at Rovajärvi.

- Over the past seven years, every spring and autumn, the organisation has internalised the routines involved in exercise preparing and implementation. This in turn guarantees efficiency and ensures quality and progression, Major Vesterinen says.

Obviously, exercise planning and implementation will be affected by time-of-year-dependent factors such as the exact amount of day light available.

- In May, exercising at Rovajärvi means plenty of daylight anearly 24/7 compared to November with daylight available for seven or so hours.

- Also, terrain recce must consider the prevailing conditions and relate these to the anticipated exercise conditions. While conducting terrain recce in late March, the terrain contours will be covered by plenty of snow, whereas at start of exercise in mid-May the spring thaw has altered the look of the landscape that the training audience units face.

As applicable, the terrain recce for the spring drill can also be conducted in late autumn before snow fall to make it easier for international training audience units to adjust to the exercise conditions.

Planning and anticipating are essential

During the exercise, the OIC preparations coordinates the exercise entity that implements the exercise’s objectives and aims, in particular the live-ammunition fires.

Overall, the exercising involves organising briefings in accordance with the exercise’s battle rhythm. The sequenced briefings serve in sustained flow of information and abidance by safety regulations.

Even if the exercise just began, Major Vesterinen is already planning the ending phase. Planning involves, for instance, drawing up the order that commands the training audience unit transfers from the drill range to railway stations or to brigade-level units’ deployment areas. 

For the majority of the training audience units, it is the implementation phase of the exercise that they experience and that then serves as the measure for planning and preparation success. The final exercise report will cover a more detailed analysis to be completed after the exercise and utilised while planning for the scheduled exercise drills. 

- For my part, I wish everyone attending LIST22 an in-service safe exercise drill at Rovajärvi this spring, the exercise OIC of preparations, Major Antti Vesterinen concludes.

Follow LIST22 on Army social media channels with #LIST22 and online at:  www.maavoimat.fi/list22  tai www.maavoimat.fi/maasotakoulu