USAF, Highway landing. F-35A fighters during military exercises in Finland,NATO - YouTube - MIL 3010

This is practise for operating in austere conditions.It simulates high intensity warfighting.Not only can the U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter land on highways-it can also take off from them and be refueled on them.For its part,the Finnish Air Force operates the Boeing F/A-18 C-D Hornet fighter until the F-35A can be phased in.Such drills build confidence between NATO Allies,improving interoperability in the Arctic Region.These f-35As are from RAF Lakenheath,England,where Great Britain is reconstituting its Boeing B61-12 tactical nuclear weapon deterrent facilities in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine,commercial documents indicate.These drills seem to have taken place in the summer.*Lockheed Martin (LMT),Boeing (BA)

NATO's High North:U.S. Arctic Strategy 2024 - Part 1

According to a prefatory Memorandum by U.S. Secretary of Defense General Lloyd F. Austin III,U.S. Army ret.:The United States is an Arctic nation,and the region is critical to the defense of our Homeland,the protection of U.S. national sovereignty,and our defense treaty commitments...Major geopolitical changes are driving the need for this new strategic approach to the Arctic,including Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine,the accession of Finland and Sweden into the NATO Alliance,increasing collaboration between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia,and the accelerating impact of climate change.This increasingly accessible region is becoming a venue for strategic competition,and the United States must stand ready to meet the challenge alongside Allies and Partners.This new DOD strategy directs the Department to enhance its Arctic capabilities,deepen engagement with Allies and Partners,and exercise our forces to build readiness for operations at high latititudes...This strategy represents prudent and measured efforts to protetct U.S. interests in the face of new challenges and an evolving security environment.*In the body of U.S. Arctic Strategy 2024,it notes:The National Defense Strategy (2022) directs that activities in the Arctic will be calibrated to reflect a "monitor-and-respond" approach that is underpinned by robust intelligence collection capabilities,security cooperation with our regional Allies and Partners,and the deterrent value of the DOD'S ability to deploy the Joint Force at the time and place of our choosing...This strategy will strengthen the ability of the United States to build integrated deterrence and effectively manage risk to U.S. interests in the Arctic Region by enhancing our domain awareness and Arctic capabilities;engaging with Allies,Partners and key stakeholders;and exercising tailored presence...The North American Arctic Region comprises the northern approaches to the homeland and includes sovereign U.S. territiory in Alaska-home to significant U.S. defense infrastructure (Eielson Air Force Base;Fort Greely;Fort Wainwright;Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson;Clear Space Force Station),and the sovereign territory of NATO Allies including Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark's autonomous territory of Greenland.Vital for homeland defense,the North American Arctic Region hosts aerospace warning,aerospace control and maritime warning capabilities for the binational U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).The North American Arctic Region is also integrated to the execution of Indo-Pacific operations,as the Northern Flank for projecting force from the U.S. homeland to that region.*Geographically,the European Arctic Region comprises the Arctic territory of NATO Allies Finland,Iceland,Norway and Sweden,as well as Russia's Kola Penninsula.Collaboration in this region between Unified Combatant Commands (CCMDs-U.S. European Command,U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command) and Arctic Allies is critical to the collective defense of NATO Allies and to U.S. homeland defense.The accession of new NATO Allies and the strengthening of the NATO Alliance opens strategic opportunities and supports critical objectives in the National Strategy for the Arctic Region (NSAR 2022).The Arctic serves as an avenue for power projection between North America and Europe.The Arctic includes multiple strategically significant maritime chokepoints.Reduction in sea ice due to climate change means chokepoints such as the Bering Sea between Alaska and Russia (you can see Russia from Alaska) and Russia and the Barents Sea north of Norway,are becoming more navigable and more economically and miltarily significant.

NATO Secretary General with 🇫🇷 French President Emmanuel Macron, 24 JUN 2024

NATO Secretary General with the President of Finland 🇫🇮 Alexander Stubb,06 JUN 2024 - YouTube

Two thousand US troops visited Finland last week and stayed longer than previously;but there are no plans for a US brigade in Finland.Finland has 50 officers in Norfolk,Virginia.Finland joining NATO means the Alliance's border with Russia has doubled.Finnish military instructors will not operate inside Ukraine.Finland has developed contingency plans to repulse Russian incursions,but there is currently no credible threat to NATO Allies.

Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service:Russia Prepares for Prolonged Conflict with Ukraine and Confrontation with the West

Kaupo Rosin is Director General,Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service.The most incisive chapter of the report "International Security and Estonia 2024" by the EFIS is entitled "Adapting Russia's Armed Forces For Prolonged Conflict":The objectives of Russia's military reform reflect the leadership's vision of the resources required for the conflict with Ukraine and prolonged confrontation with the West.Russia's goal is to achieve military dominance in the Baltic Sea Region.For Estonia,Russia's military reform entails a significant increase in Russia's forces near the Estonian border in coming years.Increasing the personnel and adding new units to the armed forces is the primary purpose of Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's military reform.Russia aims to increase its military personnel from 1.15 million to 1.5 million Soldiers by 2026;restructure 12 land and naval brigades into divisions;and create dozens of new divisions in the land,air and naval forces,as well as in the airborne troops.The formation of many of these units has already begun,but the main challenge is their shortfall of contracted service members and officers,which develop the unit formation process.*Although Russia plans to develop all strategic directions,the highest priority is in the Western strategic direction and Ukraine.The Kremlin is preparing for a prolonged conflict with Ukraine,necessitating additional armies and army corps (3rd and 40th Army Corps,18th Army and 25th Army,for which dozens of new manoeuvre,combat support and combat service units are being formed).*The second priority region is the Finnish direction,where Russia's military posture was minimal until Finland's recent accession to NATO.Russia plans to create the 4th Army Corps,likely based in Petrozavordsk,to address this.This formation will probably be built around at least two or three manoeuvre units,with around a dozen fire support and combat support units.*The growth of Russian military capabilities in the Estonian vacinity,in Leningrad and Pskov districts,primarily results from the potential transformation of existing units into divisions.According to one possible scenario,the personnel strength of Russian land forces and airborne troops in the Estonian direction may nearly double from approximately 19,000 forces from before 24 February 2022 (anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine).The extent to which these units attain combat strength depends on Russia's ability to recruit,train,and retain contracted service members.The success and timeline of Russia's military reform will be largely determined by the course of the war in Ukraine.If Russia manages to implement the reform,NATO could face a Soviet-style mass army in the next decade.This army is likely to be technologically inferior to the NATO Allies' defence forces in most areas,except for electronic warfare and long-range strike capabilities.However,its military potential would be significant,owing to its size,fire-power (including artillery power and inexpensive attack drones),combat experience and reserves.Defending against a possible conventional attack from such an army would require Allied defence forces and defence industries to be significantly more prepared,capable,and better stocked with ammunition than they currently are.*In summary,Russia's plan to increase its military forces is ambitious,especially considering the short timelines and Russia's economic and demographic situation.However,it is also a threat to Europe and NATO,contributing to Russia's aggressive posture,military potential,and growing militarisation reinforcing Russia's apparent path of a long-term confrontation with the West.*Russia is attempting to tilt Moldova back into its orbit by influencing the electoral process of 2024-2025.For its part,Moldova has banned major Russian propaganda channels;shut down numerous local Internet portals disseminating Russia's war propaganda;and decisively resisted political parties directly controlled and funded by Russia.Indeed,in the summer of 2023,Moldovan authorities expelled most Russian Embassy diplomats,after identifying some of them as intelligence operatives.*According to the Financial Times news outlet,the NATO Joint Support and Enabling Command in Ulm,South Germany is devising plans for how NATO forces will deploy across Europe and be sustained and reinforced in the event of a war with Russia.In this process,lessons learned from the ongoing Steadfast Defender 24 exercise,which simulates a large-scale conflcit with an adversary from the East,will be utilised.The scenario for the drills is a Russian attack on Alliance territory.*Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna said NATO may only have three-four years before the Kremlin mounts a test for NATO:But we must understand the Russian war machine has started in the full scale,the capabilities for the production and the mentality as well,because Putin is controlling everything now.*For his part,German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warns the test could come in the next decade,in five-eight years.

Cold War 2:US to Return Nukes to UK Air Base - plus what the Baltic States are implementing

According to research conducted by BBC News and the British news outlet The Telegraph,the US will soon be restarting its nuclear mission at RAF Lakenheath,England.The original mission was terminated in 2008 when Cold War tensions seemed to be easing.Ironically,that same year Russia invaded and occupied two Republic of Georgia territories,South Ossetia and Ingushetia,where it maintains a military presence to this day.In 2014,Russia-backed militants took over two Ukrainian Oblasts,Luhansk and Donetsk.On 30 September 2022,following its brutal invasion of Ukraine that February,Russia annexed these areas,and also annexed two cities,Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.There are no formal boundaries to these annexations.Russia had previously annexed Crimea,Ukraine on 18 March 2014.*The return of B61 thermonuclear bombs to RAF Lakenheath is reportedly imminent.Today,the West is gripped with the prospect that Russia and Belarus may lash out at NATO.There is uncertainty about Russia's and Belarus' intentions,and anxiety about the unpredictability of these adversaries.NATO is consequently processing an upgrade of its nuclear deterrent forces,which are currently assigned to air bases in Belgium,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands and Turkiye.This programme involves the US nuclear sharing programme that is a dual key arrangement,with both the US and the host NATO Ally having to sign off on nuclear missions.The latest version of the B61 is the B61-12.It is calibrated to a wide range of kilotonnages,up to a level amounting to several Hiroshima blasts,but also has many levels far below that blast magnitude.The documents obtained by the BBC include several contracts for facility construction at Lakenheath,including troop shelters needed for the imminent nuclear mission.A guardhouse for US Air Force Security Forces is to have ballisitic shielding.Other contracts awarded are for a Surety Dormitory,or nuclear weapons bunker,and hardened ballistic security shelters with bulletproof glass that can stop a .30 caliber projectile.Predictably,there have been anti-nuclear protests just outside Lakenheath.*The nuclear mission has been assigned to two squadrons of US Air Force F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters deployed to Lakenheath as part of the 48th Fighter Wing.The F-35As were flight tested with the B61-12.The mission involves training for,and,if necessary,executing the nuclear mission.*Both the US and the UK declined to confirm or deny whether there are nuclear weapons at Lakenheath.*Meanwhile,the Baltic States are fortifying their borders with Russia and Belarus as a first line of defence.For its part,Estonia is building a massive complex of 600 bunkers along its border with Russia,each bunker to house up to six troops.Russia says it will respond to Finland's hardening of its border with Russia,as well as to the renuclearisation of RAF Lakenheath.Most recently,some NATO leaders have expressed concern about the security of the rear areas of NATO,such as those deep inside Germany,whose Bundeswehr is the second largest military in NATO.These need to be better protected as well,not just the Eastern Flank.

U-2S Dragon Lady Aircraft Deployed to Protect NATO's Eastern Flank

According to the essanews.com website,a Lockheed Martin U-2S Dragon Lady aircraft was spotted over Denmark on 5 January 2024.Another U-2S was spotted over Poland in December 2023.These are part of operations mainly focused on the Eastern Baltic Sea Region,including surveillance of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania,plus mainland Russia,Finland and Belarus.This surveillance of Russian movements is considered vital to the defence of NATO Allies.In particular,the US Air Force needs to gather intelligence about Russian activities intended to disrupt the lines of communication of NATO Allies.*The U-2S has recently received upgrades such as advanced communications;navigation;imagery technology;avionics gear;and new mission computers compatible with the new Open Mission Systems (OMS) standard of the US Armed Forces.*The Department of the Air Force (DAF) plans to retire its fleet of U-2S aircraft and the uncrewed RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft in favour of new uncrewed aircraft because of the high expense of operating the U-2S and the need to accelerate technologically.*The DAF wants to do this by 2026.One likely candidate for the programme is the Northrop Grumman RQ-180 stealth uncrewed aircraft,which is a highly classified project.Secretary of Defense General Lloyd J. Austin III,US Army retired,has signed a waiver to make the move a reality.The Air Force has a fleet of 27 U-2S aircraft,including a small number of TU-2S two seat trainers.Congressional regulations prevent the retirement of the U-2S and RQ-4 Global Hawk unless they are replaced with a capability equal to or exceeding the current fleets.Congress reserves the right to limit the retirement of the U-2S and RQ-4 if it is dissatisfied with the justification of the waiver.*The DAF told The War Zone publication that:it must move into the future and begin to field more capable systems providing decision-quality intelligence throughout competition,crisis,and conflict.The DAF is developing and investing in various technologies to address critical National Defense Strategy (NDS) priorities focused on Great Power Competition.The DAF plans to invest in more survivable and persistent space-based sensors,along with exisiting and planned Joint Force assets.The ability to win future high-end conflicts requires accepting short-term risks by divesting legacy Intelligence,Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets that offer limited capability against our pacing challenge.*The RQ-180 is thought to resemble other Northrop Grumman stealth aircraft,such as the B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider strategic bombers.The RQ-180 is believed to be close to entering service,if it is not already operating.*For its part,the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works may be working on a complement to,or even replacement for,the RQ-180,acccording to a new,unconfirmed report.Lockheed had previously suggested it had produced an uncrewed hypersonic aircraft called the SR-72.*Last year the DAF awarded to Leidos Holdings a contract to design a new,uncrewed hypersonic aircraft as part of classified Project Mayhem.A network of space-based sensors and uncrewed aircraft are the DAF's vision for future ISR capabilities.*Leidos Holdings Inc (LDOS),Lockheed Martin (LMT),Northrop Grumman (NOC)

Defence Cooperation:US and Denmark Complete Another Link in Nordic Security Chain

According to the Danish Ministry of Defence,the US and Denmark have agreed on a bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) that will enable a more permanent presence of American military personnel at specific military installations in Denmark.Said Danish Minister of Defence Troel Lund Poulsen:The Defence Cooperation Agreement is a historic agreement for Denmark.It will strengthen defence and security cooperation with our most important ally.Strong bilateral ties and close cooperation with the United States in NATO are crucial for security in Europe.This will enable the United States to contribute even more to our collective defence and deterrence in Europe-a core responsibility for NATO.Added Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Lokke Rasmussen:In a world characterised by insecurity,mistrust and confrontation,it is important for Denmark to have strong relations with the United States.The Defence Cooperation Agreement will benefit Denmark and Danish citizens.The closer cooperation with the United States will strengthen European security,and it shows that Denmark is willing to take more responsibility.This is good for both Europe and cooperation in NATO.*The DCA entails that American personnel and materiel can be stationed at specific Danish military installations for both short-term and long-term.Specifically,the agreement will allow American personnel access to three Danish air bases.The Faroe Islands and Greenland are not covered by the agreement.Greenland has its own arrangement with the US Space Force.According to the DCA document,United States forces,their dependents and US contractors,may be present on the territory of Denmark and that the purpose of such presence is to further the efforts of the Parties to promote peace and security in the areas of mutual interest and benefit,and to take part in common defence efforts.*Under the DCA,U.S. forces,U.S. contractors,Danish contractors,dependents and others as mutually agreed upon are authorised unimpeded access to and use of Agreed Facilities and Areas for visits;training;exercises;manoeuvres;transit;support and related activities;refueling of aircraft;bunkering of vessels;landing and recovery of aircraft;temporary maintenance of vehicles,vessels and aircraft;accomodation of personnel;communications;staging and deploying of personnel and materiel;pre-postioning of equipment,supplies and materiel;security assistance and cooperation activities;humanitarian and disaster relief activities;contingency operations;construction or support of mutually agreed activities;and such other purposes as the Parties or their Executive Agents may agree,including those undertaken in the framework of the North Atlantic Treaty.*The DCA provides for the Danish Executive Agent to make reasonable efforts to facilitate temporary access to and use of private land and facilities (including roads,ports and airfields) and public facilities (including roads,ports and airfields) that are not part of an Agreed Facility and Area.This Agreement shall have an initial term of ten (10) years.After the initial term,it shall continue in force,but may be terminated by either Party by one (1) year's written notice to the other Party through diplomatic channels.*Annex A,Agreed Facilities and Areas:Karup Air Base,Skrydstrup Air Base,Aalborg Air Base.The DCA was signed on 21 December 2023 in the U.S. Department of State Treaty Room in Washington,DC by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen.A DCA with Norway was signed with Norway in 2021;a DCA with Sweden was signed on 5 December 2023;and a DCA with Finland was signed on 18 December 2023.*Iceland is also a Nordic country,but so far no DCA has been negotiated with it.NATO already provides Air Policing for Iceland.

Defence Cooperation:US and Finland Bulk Up NATO's Eastern Flank

According to a Government of Finland Press Release,in its plenary session on 14 December 2023,the Finnish Government decided to propose that the President of the Republic,Sauli Niinisto,authorise Minister of Defence Antii Hakkonen to sign the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States.This was carried out on 18 December 2023 in the State Department Treaty Room in Washington,DC,with Secretary of State Antony Blinken signing along with Defence Minister Hakkonen,in the presence of Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.The agreement is subject to ratification by the Finnish Parliament and the US Senate.*The US is one of Finland's most important allies.Negotiations for the DCA were opened in August 2022.It is a binding agreement under international law.The negotiations concluded in October 2023.President Niinisto and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy decided in favour of approving the result of the negotiations on 27 November 2023.Parliament was kept informed on the progress of the negotiations in accordance with sections 47 and 97 of the Constitution.*The DCA will strengthen Finland's defence as it enables the presence and training of US forces on and the prepositioning of defence materiel on the territory of Finland,according to the Press Release.Thus it will also bolster NATO's deterrence and defence policy.According to Foreign Minister Valtonen,the DCA will:strengthen Finland's defence and enable cooperation in all security situations.The DCA also has regional importance,and it will help Finland contribute to NATO's collective defence efforts.*Said Minister of Defence Antii Hakkonen:The signature of the DCA is not an end point,but a new step towards even closer cooperation between Finland and the United States.The agreement reflects the United States' committment to Finland's security and it creates the conditions for cooperation in times of crises.Finland is not alone in defending itself,but does so as a NATO Ally and together with the United States.*The DCA deals with such matters as US access to,and use of,the 15 agreed facilities and areas;prepositioning of defence equipment,supplies and materiel on the territiory of Finland;entry and movement of US aircraft,vessels and vehicles;ensuring the protection,safety and security of US forces and the facilities and areas they use;and devises practical matters related to US forces on the territory of Finland,including the activity of US and Finnish contractors.The 15 agreed facilities and areas are listed in Annex A to the agreement.Finland will authorise the United States unimpeded access to and use of the facilities and areas for activities listed in the DCA.As a rule,the cooperation between Finland and the United States will focus on the agreed facilities and areas.However,the DCA will apply to the entire area of Finland.*The United States will commit to conducting all activities under the DCA with full respect for the sovereignty,laws,and international obligations of Finland.No nuclear weapons are permitted on Finnish territory.Regular provisions of the DCA contain obligations of the parties regarding consultations,respect for shared views,and coordination of measures to ensure the proper implementation of the agreement.*According to Annex A,the facilities and areas include:Ivalos Border Guard Base;Kuopio,Rissala,Konelin Air Command Base;various storage and training areas;Roveniemi (on the Arctic Circle) Lapland Air Command Base and Jaeger Brigade Garrison;Tampere-Pirkkala,Satekune Air Command Base;Jyvaskyla-Tikkakoski Air Force Academy Air Base;and Upinniemi Navy Base and Garrison in Kirkonummi including Russaro Island.*Finalnd's border with Russia runs for 1340 km/830 mi.It mainly crosses taiga forests and sparsely populated rural araeas.The border has been completely closed until at least 14 January 2024 because of an influx of undocumented migrants into Finland at two border crossings-an act of suspected hybrid warfare by Russia to destabilise Finland.

US Air Force, NATO. Powerful F-16C fighters refuel in the air during an exercise in Finland

B-1B Bombers Make History in Sweden - plus the Air Force ACE doctrine

On 19 June 2023 two US Air Force B-1B strategic supersonic bombers landed at Lulea Kallax Air Base,Sweden for the first time ever,said U.S. European Command (EUCOM).The bombers are out of the 7th Bomb Wing,Dyess Air Force Base,Texas.The landing fortifies the collective defense of Europe,EUCOM added.Speaking at a key leader event,US Air Force Brigadier General Byron A. Terrell noted that:the US and Sweden have a long history together in exercises and training,cooperation,and operations,of which today is one key example.The more we can integrate forces and equipment to maneuver across Europe,the more ready we are to face security challenges,now and in the future.*Such training with joint Partners and Allied nations forges the enduring and strategic relationships necessary to confront a broad range of global challenges,EUCOM stated.* In a similar vein,a USAF RC-135 Rivet Joint Intelligence,Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft flew the first ever mission by an RC-135 over Finland on 23 March 2023.The flight of the Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft demonstrated EUCOM's shared committment to enhance readiness and provide training for improved interoperability with Finland.The flight was at the invitation of the Finnish Defence Forces.These types of sorties support Agile Combat Deployment (ACE) concepts and enable participation in regional exercises that ensure interoperability of NATO Allies and Partners in the EUCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR). Such operational readiness of US Forces across all domains is critical to building partnerships;responding to crisis;providing deterrence;and supporting Allies and Partners.ISR is one of the USAF's core missions.The ISR mission is integral to global vigilance and enables the operational agility needed in a dynamic security environment,according to EUCOM.* Agile Combat Employment,according to Air Force Doctrine Note 1-21 issued on 23 August 2022,is defined as:a proactive and reactive operational scheme of maneuver executed within threat timelines to increase survivability while generating combat power.When applied correctly,ACE complicates the enemy's targeting process;creates political and operational dilemmas for the enemy;and creates flexibilty for friendly forces.ACE is an operational concept that supports Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO).Joint force operations are increasingly interconnected,interdependent,and challenged.Anti-Access and Area Denial threats,reduced freedom of maneuver,and rapid proliferation of advanced technologies,challenge the Air Force's ability to operate.The successful employment of ACE positions the force to observe,orient,decide,and act in concert across all domains.* Key concepts are defined in the document,such as Proactive Maneuver:A scheme of maneuver by which forces and assets are moved between operating locations to assure Allies and Partner nations of US support,alter adversary or enemy understanding of friendly intentions and capabilities,posture to deter aggression,or gain advantage.Reactive Maneuver:A scheme of maneuver employed in response to observed,anticipated,or realized enemy aggression using mobility and dispersion of forces and assets to complicate enemy targeting;redistribute forces from concentrated hubs;increase survivability;and reposition forces for follow-on operations.Threat Timelines:Theater-specific planning factors based on the time required for an adversary to accomplish its find,fix,track,target,engage,and assess cycle.* ACE shifts operations from centralized physical infrastructures to a network of smaller,dispersed locations that can complicate adversary planning and provide more opportunities for joint force commanders.Its value is derived from the ability to hold adversary targets at risk from multiple locations that are defensible,sustainable,and relocatable.Airmen should expect to conduct operations at a speed,scope,complexity,and scale exceeding recent campaigns from distributed locations.

Ripple effects in the Arctic - American Legion

Ripple effects in the Arctic: In the face of Putin’s aggression, NATO looks to take a more proactive approach to the High North.

Major NATO Maritime Drills Commence:BALTOPS 22

On 5 June 2022,NATO exercise BALTOPS 22 begins in the Baltic Sea Region.The drills will run through 17 June.According to U.S. Naval Forces Europe,BALTOPS 22 will strengthen the combined response capability that is crtitical to preserving freedom of navigation and security in the region.Those participating include:Belgium,Bulgaria,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Latvia,Lithuania,the Netherlands,Norway,Poland,Sweden,Turkey,the UK and the US.A myriad of capabilities will demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritme forces,to include:amphibious operations;gunnery;anti-submarine and air defence drills;mine clearance operations;explosive ordnance disposal;unmanned underwater vehicles;and medical response.Sweden is the host nation.* The scenario builds on BALTOPS 21 story lines and continues the incorporation of the space domain in coordination with the NATO Space Centre.The team of international forces will be tasked with responding rapidly in a time of crisis.Over 45 ships;75 aircraft;and some 7,000 service members will execute the manoeuvres.US Navy warships taking part include:the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3),dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44),guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) and command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20).* Strategically,Finland and Sweden's penchant for employing small missile-armed surface combatants and shore-based aircraft with Sweden's stealthy submarines in the context of Nordic geography creates significant Anti-Access/Area Denial capabilties.This could be used to block Russian transit of the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean.The exercise will take place in the Central and Southern Baltic Sea and include drills in the Stockholm archipelago near Uto;on land and sea outside Visby and Faro;on Ravlunda Exercise Field;on Osterlen and in Hano Bay.Sweden will contribute a submarine;two Visby corvettes;two minesweepers;four fighter aircraft;two helicopters and more than 500 troops.There will also be drills on riparian land ranges in Germany,Poland,Sweden and the Baltic States.Warfighting simulation will include maritime interdiction and personnel recovery,strengthening the cohesion and skillsets of NATO Allies and Partners.Personnel recovery is the recovery and reintegration of isolated military personnel,those who must survive,evade,resist or escape because they became separated from their units during combat operations.The Warrior's Ethos states:I will never leave a fallen comrade.An adversary may influence military strategy and national will by exploiting the intelligence and propaganda value of isolated personnel,according to the United States Army Combined Arms Centers.*

Finland expected to begin process of joining Nato this week - BBC News

Advanced Tactics and Technology Secure the Baltics in Large Scenario

BALTOPS 2020, considered the premier maritime forces exercise for NATO and Partners, concluded on 16 June 2020.Nineteen Allies plus Partners Finland and Sweden improved flexibility in air defence; anti-submarine warfare; maritime interdiction;and mine countermeasures operations.Naval Striking Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) at its new HQ in Lisbon, Portugal implemented the latest technology into their Joint Operations Centre to facilitate Command and Control of the drills.Such new capabilities as recognized maritime picture viewing;NATO common operational picture feeds; joint targeting systems for operational planning;and a tactical data link to communicate with Allied warships at sea were exercised, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe said.

According to LG Klaus Habersetzen, Commander, Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOL) in Uedem, Germany, which coordinated the operations of the 28 aircraft in the drills:
This challenging mission serves to demonstrate NATO Allies are united and ready to deter conflict and defend the sovereignty of Baltic nations through sea control and power projection.*
BALTOPS unfolded in two phases:
1.Combat Enhancement Training and Force Integration Training (CET-FIT) and
2.Tactical Exercise (TACEX), which gave commanders the freedom to run their own tactical programmes and simulated operations in real world conditions, SHAPE indicated.*

Aircraft Carrier Rushed to Europe on Snap Deployment - big NATO exercise scenario revealed

The US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and its Carrier Strike Group of a Guided Missile Cruiser,Guided Missile Destroyers and likely an Attack Submarine has been on a breakneck pace as of late.After a summer deployment that was abruptly halted in July after only three months,as opposed to the customary seven months,and a return to its Norfolk,Virginia homeport,the Truman was ordered right back to Europe and arrived in mid-September.The ship and its 6,000 crewmembers are to be a focal point of the massive NATO Exercise Trident Juncture 2018,which runs from 25 October to 7 November.Some 45,000 personnel from 29 NATO Allies,plus partner nations Finland and Sweden,will participate.*
The Truman's demanding schedule is part of the US Navy's new Dynamic Force Employment strategy.It means the warships and their crews must be on a more agile and unpredictable footing for crisis response in an era of renewed great power competition.As ADL Christopher Grady,commander,Fleet Forces Command,put it:
Let me be clear:all returning units are one hundred percent mission-capable and will remain in the sustainment phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan,which means they will sustain warfighting readiness and be ready to surge forward or redeploy when called upon.*
As Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the US House of Representatives:
The way you do this is ensure that preparation for great power competition drives not simply a rotational schedule that allows me to tell you,three years from now,which aircraft carrier will be where in the world.*
According to US Navy ADL James G. Foggo III,commander,US Naval Forces Europe and Africa and all NATO naval forces:
Trident Juncture 18 is going to test our ability to plan and conduct a major collective defence operation .*
The drills will be held in Central and Eastern Norway;the contiguous Baltic Sea and North Atlantic Ocean;Iceland and the airspace of Finland and Sweden.The exercise scenario is that a NATO Ally has requested help under the Alliance's Article V collective defence clause.*
About 2,000 US Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the roughly 700 Marines of the 3rd Battalion,8th Marines already on rotation in Norway will also play a major role in the scenario with the new anti-tank version of the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-AT).These are armed with the TOW anti-tank missile.

Dateline Finland:NATO and EU Inaugurate Counter-Hybrid Warfare Centre in Helsinki

On 2 October 2017 in Helsinki,Finland,NATO and the European Union inaugurated their European Centre of Excellence,or CoE,for Countering Hybrid Threats.Eleven nations are contributing to the Centre,including the US.Attending the ceremony were NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg;EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini;Finnish President Sauli Niinisto;and Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila.The Centre aims to better understand modern,complex threats and to strengthen our societies against them.
Meeting with the Finnish leaders,Mr.Stoltenberg praised Finland for its contributions to international security,especially airspace security in the Baltics,and expressed gratitude for Finland's close partnership with NATO.He also emphasised the close cooperation between the EU and NATO:
Our relationship has never been closer.*
NATO and the EU have agreed to 42 measures on the hybrid challenges,cyber defence,and security in the Mediterranean Basin.Both organisations hope to expand cooperation into even more areas later this year.*
Mr.Stoltenberg pointed out to the media that Finland's border with Russia is longer than that of all the NATO Allies and partners combined,so Finland offers NATO and the EU special insight and expertise regarding Russian activities and on relations with its giant neighbour.
Last November,Finnish President Sauli Niinisto became the first Finnish president to visit NATO headquarters in Brussels.Finland contributes to NATO missions and operations in the Balkans,Kosovo,and Afghanistan.They participate in NATO exercises and the NATO Response Force.Mr.Stoltenberg noted that:
This year was the hundredth anniversary of Finland's independence from Russia.And you know better than I,that those hundred years is very much about Finland's relationship to the neighbour to the east,to Russia,in good times and in bad times.*
We use the phrase "hybrid" to cover actually many things,Mr.Stoltenberg explained:normally a kind of mixture of military and non-military means of aggression;a combination of covert and overt operations and measures,everything from propaganda,from disinformation,actually the use of regular forces,from tweets to tanks;sometimes soldiers in uniforms,sometimes soldiers without uniforms;and sometimes something that happens in cyber space and sometimes things that happen at our borders.And this combination of so many different things at the same time with the aim to hide the real intention,that has got the name "hybrid threats."And it's a kind of buzzword I hear everywhere I go now.
We have responded in close cooperation with the EU,responded in close cooperation with countries like Finland:
1.We have improved our situational awareness,established a new division within NATO only working with intelligence:improved situational awareness to be able to foresee and understand what is going on;
2.significantly increased the readiness of our forces,tripling the NATO Response Force to 30,000 troops,including the new VJTF,Very High Readiness Joint Task Force,a brigade that can react in a few days.We have deployed four battle groups to the three Baltic countries and Poland,and also strengthened our presence in the Southeast of the Alliance.If we see small,green men showing up somewhere they should not show up,NATO will be there;
3.the third thing is to increase our resilience in infrastructure,energy security,but in particular cyber.There is no military activity;there is no military conflict without a big cyber dimension.So we have to be able to support and defend our own networks.
And I strongly believe that to have a Centre like this as a hub for sharing information,for sharing experiences,for learning from each other,for organising training,and for also doing some practical work and looking into how we can address specific hybrid threats,will be of great advantage both for the EU,for NATO,and of course for all our member states,including Finland,NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg concluded.*
Even on the plane out of Helsinki,Mr.Stoltenberg and Ms.Mogherini were photographed continuing their dialogue.

NATO's Combined Resolve VIII:Building a Rapid and Lethal Combat Force for Central and Eastern Europe

A major NATO exercise is underway at the US Army's Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas in Southeast Germany.The extensive drills are running from 19 April to 16 June 2017,with over 3400 troops from 10 NATO Allies and partners.Those participating include:
Albania;Finland;Hungary;Kosovo;Lithuania;Macedonia;Romania;Slovenia;Ukraine;and the US Army's European Rotational Force,as represented by the Mission Command Element and 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team,4th Infantry Division,out of Fort Carson,Colorado;and the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade out of Fort Drum,New York.
CRVIII has three phases:
1.Combined arms live-fire exercises on Grafenwoehr;
2.Command post exercise;
3.Force-on-force manoeuvre training at the US Army Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels.*
About 1400 4th ID troops were relocated from Zagan,Poland to support the drills.According to 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team,4th ID operations officer Major Jon Alexander:
Participation in this multinational exercise not only demonstrates our ability to freely move an armoured brigade around Europe;it provides the best opportunities to train with as many Allies as possible,so that we are collectively stronger as a fighting force.*
The movement of the 3/4 ABCT from Poland to Germany took about two weeks.The ABCT's Tactical Command Post (TAC) was set up by 29 March.Relocating this HQ was to further support the NATO Allies in the combined environment of the Training Areas.Its mission is to support multiple field exercises such as CR VIII and Saber Guardian 17,which are multinational joint operations.
3/4 ABCT is the current heavy brigade in rotation for Operation Atlantic Resolve,the effort to strengthen NATO's battle force in Europe.*
The TAC was set up to control the fight and battle track while the larger Tactical Operations Center (TOC) is being moved.There was 100% accountability of all personnel,equipment and sensitive items in 48 hours.The 3/4 ABCT will repeatedly mass and move around Central and Eastern Europe to demonstrate the ability to freely and rapidly manoeuvre an armoured force across Alliance member-states.The equipment being moved includes the TOCs;M1A2 Abrams tanks;and M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles.Exercising the rapid mobility of a brigade and its more than 2600 pieces of equipment has become muscle memory to the Soldiers involved,noted Captain Alex Carreon,TAC officer in charge with HHC Brigade.

Russia Steps Up Probing of Nordic-Baltic Region - four NATO Allies respond in one day

US Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work took Russia to task for its recent behaviour in the Nordic-Baltic Region at a press conference following a meeting with eight delegates from the region on 7 October 2016.Finland said two Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter jets violated its airspace on separate occasions in the Gulf of Finland south of Porvoo that same day.Russian military aviation over the Baltic Sea has been intense,Finland noted;while Iceland had complained that two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers flew too close to civilian airliners,flying between 1800-2700 meters/6,000-9,000 feet below a flight from Reykjavik,Iceland to Stockholm,Sweden.
There is absolutely no justification for it,Secretary Work said.Regardless of the timing,regardless of the circumstances,these are unsatisfactory manoeuvres that are unsafe and unprofessional.Hopefully we'll be able to see a moderation in them to avoid an accident or a tragic occurrence.Unfortunately,these are becoming the norm rather than the exception.*
Attending the US-Nordic-Baltic forum were Denmark,Estonia,Finland,Iceland,Latvia,Lithuania,Norway and Sweden.The forum dealt with regional security issues such as Russian behaviour in the Baltic Sea and ways to increase defence cooperation-including in the War On ISIL.*
Preceding the forum,the French Ministry of Defence revealed that,on 22 September 2016,four NATO Allies had scrambled fighter jets to intercept two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers:
1.The extraordinary chase began when Norway scrambled two F-16 Fighting Falcons to escort the Blackjacks towards the north of Scotland.
2.The British sent Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth to intercept the Russian bombers and shadow them around the west of Scotland and Ireland.As a precaution,more Typhoons were scrambled from RAF Coningsly in Lincolnsire,but didn't intercept the Blackjacks in the end.
3.Two French Rafale fighters then intercepted the Russians 100 km off the Britanny coast.Two other Rafales took over as the bombers headed south.
4.Finally,two Spanish F-18s shadowed the Blackjacks north of Bilbao,at which point the Russians turned around and flew home.*
Russia has also deployed its Iskander-M mobile nuclear-capable missile system to its territory of Kaliningrad on the Baltic coast,which is wedged between Poland and Lithuania.Poland said this was very alarming and of the highest concern;but Russia insists it is only an exercise and has been done before.

NATO's Eastern Flank:Deterrence Strategy Unfolds

At the NATO Wales Summit in 2014,the Alliance's deterrence framework for its Eastern Flank was set forth as the Readiness Action Plan,or RAP.The Baltic States of Lithuania,Latvia and Estonia,who are most exposed to Russian military power,welcomed the plan,and it continues to evolve today.Currently the plan revolves around the trip-wire concept provided by small rotations of Allied forces such as the Baltic Air Policing Mission.Sixteen NATO Allies are participating in this long-running mission,which began in 2004 and is based at Lithuania's Siauliai Air Base.Yet this mission can now be scaled up using the air bases at Amari,Estonia and Malbork,Poland.*
In 2017,the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force,or VJTF,comes into full operation with 5,000 Allied troops.Besides the VJTF,the US is studying the possible deployment of a 5,000 troop combat brigade to continuously rotate through the three Baltic States plus Poland,Bulgaria and Romania.As well,the UK is sending more ships to the Baltic Sea,including a destroyer;frigate;and 3 minesweepers;plus 100 ground troops to the Baltic States.Gemany will also rotate forces through the Baltic States and Poland.*
NATO's relations with its Nordic partners Finland and Sweden have been stepped up in recent years in light of Russia's aggression in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine,accompanied by its bomber flights along Nordic airspace and its unannounced land manoeuvers with thousands of troops.This new closeness between the Nordic Defence Cooperation,NORDEFCO,and NATO involves joint assessment of Baltic Sea Region security;expanded information sharing,including on hybrid warfare;coordinating training and exercises;and developing improved joint situational awareness.*
In another example of the rotational approach to deterrence,Standing NATO Maritime Group 1,with its 3 core vessels,frigate and flagship ESPS Alvaro de Bazan (F-101);combat supply ship ESPS A-15 Cantabria;and frigate HMS Iron Duke (F234),made a port call at Riga,Latvia.Following the visit,during which citizens were invited to tour the ships,they will continue patrolling and exercising in the North and Baltic Seas.Earlier in the mission,they were joined by Norwegian coastal corvettes HNoMs Storm (P-961) and HNoMs Steil (P-963).