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Exercise Northern Wind 2019 in Northern Sweden

Finland will participate in the exercise Northern Wind 2019 (NW19) organised by the Swedish Army in Norrbotten, Northern Sweden, from 18 to 27 March 2019. Altogether over 1,500 soldiers and 500 vehicles will partake in the exercise from Finland. A planned part of the development of defence cooperation between Finland and Sweden, Northern Wind 2019 will be the most substantial exercise conducted between the armies so far.

In the exercise, the Finnish Army units will train operating attached as part of a Swedish Brigade. The training objective will involve enhancing interoperability between the units and command of the Finnish Army and of the Swedish Army, developing capabilities and undertaking training for operating in challenging winter conditions.

The Finnish exercise detachment will mainly comprise troops from the Armoured Brigade, Jaeger Brigade, Kainuu Brigade and Pori Brigade. The main equipment materiel will include Leopard main battle tanks, BMP 2M infantry fighting vehicles, MTLB armoured personnel carriers, PASI armoured personnel carriers and all-terrain carriers. Altogether approximately 100 armoured vehicles and 400 other vehicles will be partaking in the exercise from Finland.

The Swedish Army’s main exercise (arméövning), Northern Wind 2019 will involve some 10,000 personnel in total, of whom circa 7,000 will consist of international participation. In addition to Finland and Sweden, the exercise will also be partaken by Norway, Great Britain and the U.S.A.

The exercise is in accordance with the Finnish Defence Forces’ action plan and approved by the Finnish Ministry of Defence as part of the international exercise activities for 2019. The Finnish Army has participated in the exercise’s planning in cooperation with the Swedish counterparts and in doing so set its own training exercise objectives.

The exercise troops will be on the move from Finland to Sweden along roads and by rails over the weekend from 16 to 17 March 2019. This troop transfer movement to the Tornio border crossing point will result in congested traffic along VT4 and E75 from 16 to 17 March 2019, and this congestion is expected to be particularly substantial along E75 from Oulu to Tornio on Sunday 17 March 2019.

News

Your sons and daughters will remain vigilant

Your sons and daughters will remain vigilant

While the training provided in all Finnish Defence Forces’ units continues to be of high-quality, the conscripts who have applied for and become selected to the readiness units engage in particularly versatile and demanding training activities. As part of this training, the readiness unit soldiers end up leaving their comfort zone and putting the limits of their mental resilience and physical strength to the test. In the exercise Northern Wind 2019, the participating conscripts from the readiness units engage in combat training in a Finnish battalion battlegroup functioning as part of a Swedish brigade.
27.3.2019 | 14.55
Liaison officers ensure cooperating with ease

Liaison officers ensure cooperating with ease

In this exercise, Finnish liaison officers operate in the Swedish brigade headquarters as substance-matter experts of their given functional branch collecting and submitting information between the Finnish and Swedish troops. The primary mission of the liaison officers is to support the decision-making of the Commander of the brigade as well as assist the brigade headquarters in planning a range of operations.
24.3.2019 | 10.37
”Only by training we will develop”

”Only by training we will develop”

Comprising approximately 1,500 Finnish Army troops in its composition, a battalion battle group now undertakes training as part of a Swedish brigade in the exercise Northern Wind 2019 organised by the Swedish Army in Norrbotten, Northern Sweden. By undertaking combined training we enhance the interoperability capability of the Finnish and Swedish troops and accrue readiness in providing and receiving international assistance as well as develop the planning and preparing process concerning combined exercises.
22.3.2019 | 19.00
Commander of the Finnish Army inspected the Finnish exercise troops in the exercise Northern Wind 2019

Commander of the Finnish Army inspected the Finnish exercise troops in the exercise Northern Wind 2019

Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Petri Hulkko inspected the Finnish exercise troops participating in the exercise Northern Wind 2019 in Northern Sweden from 18 to 20 March 2019. The exercise organised in Norrbotten is so far the most substantial bilateral training exercise of the Finnish and Swedish Armies.
21.3.2019 | 11.26
Finland will participate in the exercise Northern Wind 2019 in Northern Sweden

Finland will participate in the exercise Northern Wind 2019 in Northern Sweden

Finland will participate in the exercise Northern Wind 2019 organised by the Swedish Army in Norrbotten, Northern Sweden, from 18 to 27 March 2019. Altogether over 1,500 soldiers and 500 vehicles will partake in the exercise from Finland. A planned part of the development of defence cooperation between Finland and Sweden, Northern Wind 2019 will be the most substantial exercise conducted between the armies so far.
18.2.2019 | 11.59

Arctic Training - the Bedrock of Capability in Lapland

With its set vision fixed on becoming a training centre of excellence for arctic training recognised and appreciated both at home and overseas, the Jaeger Brigade has already met this objective on the basis of the national and international interest accrued.
12.2.2019 | 14.49
Commander of the Swedish Army visiting Northern Finland

Commander of the Swedish Army visiting Northern Finland

Commander of the Swedish Army, Major General Karl Engelbrektson visited the Finnish Army in Northern Finland from 8 to 9 December 2018. The visit was hosted by Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant General Petri Hulkko.
9.12.2018 | 19.01

Swedish army, Northern Wind 2019, Winter warfare exercise

This exercise will be observable online:

#finarmy #northernwind2019

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Public Information Officer
Jere Paldanius
puh. +358 299 410 722
jere.paldanius (at) mil.fi

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