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

Hungary clears way for Swedish bid to join NATO - CBC News

NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸 U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan,O7 FEB 2024

NATO:Tabloid's Disclosure of Chilling Russian Intentions is for a Bundeswehr Training Exercise

A chilling disclosure by the German tabloid Bild suggested that Russia would escalate the Ukraine war to a hybrid war against NATO Allies in 2024 that could then lead to an attack against NATO Allies in 2025.NATO has responded to the disclosure by saying it refers to a Bundeswehr (German military) training scenario.The escalation was to begin in the Eastern Flank in 2024 and intensify to a major armed conflict in Europe in 2025.In fact,Russia is planning a major military buildup of its army from 1 to 1.5 million Soldiers.Recently,Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened Ukraine with an unrecoverable blow that would annihilate Ukrainian statehood.*The secret document obtained by Bild said there would be a Russian spring 2024 offensive against Ukraine,followed by a hybrid war against the Baltic States with cyberattacks and other hybrid warfare tactics.In October 2024,Russia will build up its Kaliningrad enclave with troops and missiles.In December 2024,Russia will instigate border conflicts in the Suwalki Gap,a rural area of Northeastern Poland that borders Lithuania and is seen as a NATO vunerability as it is the fastest route between Russia and Belarus.Post-US 2024 Presidential elections and the vulnerability of a presidential transition,Russia will invade a NATO Ally,possibly assisted by Belarus.Thirty days later,NATO will carry out large reinforcements to its Eastern Flank.Indeed,a Sulwalki Gap conflict engineered by Russia could cause many casualties.In a NATO D-day scenario,300,000 NATO troops would be deployed to the Eastern Flank,including 30,000 Bundeswehr personnel.*Possibly this scenario is what led Sweden to warn its people to prepare for a crisis or conflict in Europe.It contains realistic elements that were perhaps garnered by the Intelligence Community.

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.

US block on additional Ukraine funding "will get sorted out", ambassador tells DW

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.

NATO Secretary General with the 🇺🇸 US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken,O1 JUN 2023 - Oslo,Norway

IFS and Lockheed Martin Form Enhanced Partnership - Avionics International

IFS and Lockheed Martin Form Enhanced Partnership - Avionics International: IFS and Lockheed Martin have collaborated to form a strategic alliance aimed at assisting aerospace and defense entities in optimizing the benefits derived from their enterprise software investments. Lockheed Martin (LMT) Note:IFS AB of Sweden is a privately held company.Among its specialties are defence contractors and defence forces.

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.

Sweden 🇸🇪 and NATO train to keep Gotland secure

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.*

USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) Arrives In Stockholm - U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet

USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) Arrives In Stockholm: The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) arrived in Stockholm, Sweden for a scheduled port visit to enhance U.S.-Sweden relations and build cohesion among key

Shop Talk:Read About the Arctic Challenge Exercise 2019

Please read my post on my Wall Street Workbook blog:
Air Wargames:Arctic Challenge Exercise 2019
It covers an important NORDEFCO/NATO exercise coming up soon.http://wallstreetworkbook.blogspot.com
http://wallstreetworkbook.blogspot.com

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.

Iraq and Syria:Operation Inherent Resolve Intensifies Effort to Disrupt Militant Plans - lines of communication

While their countrymen lay asleep,from 16-22 July 2018,Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve redoubled its campaign against Islamic State in Iraq,Syria and the Levant extremists.The international partners pulverised the takfiri terrorists with 24 strikes spread out over 40 engagements in Iraq and Syria.
Among the strikes in Syria were:
on 21 July,the Task Force engaged an ISIL tactical unit near Abu Kamal,destroying 3 vehicles and a line of communication;
on 19 July,there were 4 strikes near Abu Kamal,engaging an ISIL tactical unit and leveling 2 logistics hubs and 2 lines of communication;
On 18 July,there were again 4 strikes near Abu Kamal,engaging an ISIL tactical unit,destroying 2 vehicles and 3 lines of communication;
on 17 July,near Soor,a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit,destroying 2 motorcycles.
In Iraq:
on 20 July,the Task Force struck targets near Sulayman Bek,engaging a tactical unit and destroying 2 vehicles and a cave;
on 17 July,again near Sulaymen Bek,the Task Force engaged an ISIL tactical unit,wiping out a VBIED and 2 fighting positions;
on 16 July,near Makhmour,9 strikes destroyed 14 ISIL caves;5 tunnels;and 4 buildings.*
The strikes were carried out by fighter;bomber;rotary-wing or remotely-piloted aircraft;rocket-propelled artillery;and ground-based tactical artillery.No further details were disclosed.*
Earlier,from 24 Apil to 26 June 2018,CJTFOIR neutralised 6 ISIL leaders and planners.This campaign of kinetic strikes stifled the Islamist extremist militants' attack planning,facilitation and operations conceived against Saudi Arabia;the US;and Sweden.Killed were:
on 24 April,Munnawar al-Mutayari,a Syria-based militant plotting external attacks on Saudi Arabia;
on 2 June,Soufiane Makouh of Belgium,plotting in Syria against the US and its interests;
on 12 June,Simak,who was plotting attacks in Sweden,and his associates Abu Awf;Abu Quddamah;and Sharif al-Ragub ( killed on 26 June).
The strikes were to disrupt ISIL's ability to plan,coordinate,and carry out attacks,CJTFOIR said.*
A line of communication is a route from a supply base to an operating base for supplies or reinforcements.A military operation cannot succeed without effective lines of communication.

Groundwork for War:NATO Partner Sweden Prints Leaflets as Alliance Readies Massive Exercise

Sweden,appalled by Russia's illegal and unprincipled acts of recent years,such as the invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014,has recently printed and mailed 4.7 million leaflets to all its households entitled "If Crisis or War Comes." The leaflet advises:
Think about how you and people around you will be able to cope with a major strain.*
The publication recommends steps such as the following:
Stock up on non-perishable food such as canned sardines and energy bars.
To combat the cold,darkness and communications blackout during a power failure,obtain woolen clothing,sleeping bags,as well as candles and lanterns,battery-powered radios and a mobile phone charger adaptable to automobiles.*
It also covers where to find clean water and bomb shelters in Sweden.Besides conventional war,the leaflet covers cyber and terrorist attacks,natural disasters and major accidents.*
According to a 4 April 2018 article in NATO Review magazine by Dr.Bjorn van Sydow,Swedish Defence Commissioner and Head of Sweden's delegation to NATO's Parliamentary Assembly:
There is now a growing realisation among NATO members and partners that challenges to European security and the rules-based international order must be met by rapidly transforming our defence postures and preparing our societies for the harshness of armed conflict.Deterrence and reassurance built on increased cooperation and joint action are necessary steps,but,on the national level,every country must also improve their societal preparedness to meet this new security environment.Consequently,the key printing of the present Swedish Defence Bill,passed in 2015,is to enhance the warfighting capability of the Armed Forces.This includes the development of a Total Defence concept encompassing both military and civilian defence in a whole-of-society approach to security.*
For its part,NATO Joint Forces Command Naples is already preparing Exercise Trident Juncture 2018,the largest NATO drill,which is held every three years.The live portion of the drills is sited in Northern and Central Norway in October 2018,while JFC Naples and designated subordinate commands will be seeking certification as NRF 2019 during the command post exercise in November.More than 30 countries will take part in TJ 18.The scenarios will train the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force,or VJTF,and its parent,the NATO Response Force 2019.
Admiral James Foggo,US Navy,Commander US Naval Forces Europe,US Naval Forces Africa and JFC Naples,explained:
We are not an offensive Alliance;we don't go looking for a fight;but we will defend our territory and we will deter any adversary who takes action against us.So we're going to prove that here in October when we do Trident Juncture 18.*
Consequently,JFC Naples has deployed its Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Team to Bodo,Norway.This small unit will liaise with Norwegian authorities along with military and civilian counterparts as the environment surrounding the exercise scenario develops.*
TJ 18 will involve nearly 40,000 troops;70 ships;and 130 aircraft.

As Exercise Aurora Unfolds,Details from Zapad 17 Emerge - little green men,U-2S Dragon Lady and Swedish SIGINT

Adrenaline is running high in Europe as multiple crucial exercises are underway on both sides of the geopolitical divide.
On 19 September,Exercise Aurora 17 began in Sweden.It is the largest Swedish national exercise in more than twenty years,US European Command said.Augmenting the more than 19,000 Swedish personnel,the US has sent about 1300 Soldiers,Marines and Sailors,and France has contributed air defence forces.
US European Command commander and Supreme Allied Commander Europe,General Curtis M. Scaparrotti,US Army,stated that:
The interoperability and cooperation of Sweden and the US remains vital.*
Aurora 17 is running from 19-27 September.The drills will occur in Malardalen,Stockholm,Gotland and Gothenberg,Sweden.US Forces participating include:
from the US Army:US Army10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command;12th Combat Aviation Brigade;2nd Cavalry Regiment;194th Armored Regiment,Minnesota Army National Guard;134th Infantry Regiment,Nebraska Army National Guard;149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade,Kentucky Army National Guard;
from the US Marine Corps:Marine Rotational Force Europe 17.2;
from the US Navy:Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79);and a P-8A Poseidon from Patrol Squadron 16.*
The forces will train in both defensive and offensive operations;simulated airborne operations;simulated amphibious assault;as well as area security and unit level tactics.*
Meanwhile,sources in theatre,particularly the Finns,have been sharing their observations of Russian/Belorussian Exercise Zapad 17,giving the ambience of Zapad and the response to it:
1.On 16 September,so called "little green men" in unmarked camouflage fatigues appeared on the border with Lithuania,the Swedish publication Cornucopia reported.One photo showed five LGM in a field with balaclavas and kalashnikov rifles;and a second photo shows two LGM,one of whom has removed his balaclava.They are reportedly hybrid warriors,Don Cossack paramilitaries,some of whom were also noted to be active in annexed Crimea and the beseiged Donbas region in Ukraine.*
2.According to another source,a US Air Force U-2S Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft departed RAF Fairford,England,at 0655 hours on a Baltic mission on 17 September.
3.On 14 September,the Russian 6th Tank Brigade that had seen heavy fighting in Ukraine in 2014 joined Zapad 17 drills.
4.On 17 September,strategic places in Severodvinsk were masked by aerosol fogging in the framework of Zapad 17.
5.On 18 September,land units of the Russian Baltic Fleet carried out firing in the framework of Zapad 17;while a shipborne strike group of the Russian Northern Fleet supported artillery forces of the Russian Marines.
6.On 17 September,a Swedish SIGINT plane was sent on a mission outside the Russian outpost of Kaliningrad.

NATO Exercise Patriot Shock V:Air Defence Artillery Test at Short Notice

NATO Exercise Patriot Shock V is underway in both Romania and Poland,involving 200 troops from the US,Romania,Poland and Sweden.The drills,running from 5-10 November 2016,are a Deployment Readiness Exercise in conjunction with a multinational air defence exercise,said the 10th Army Artillery and Missile Defense Command.
As part of the exercise,the Soldiers of Delta Battery,5th Battalion,7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment,were in Romania in less than 72 hours of the notice of their deployment to a location near Camp Midia,Romania.Speed of assembly and speed of achieving interoperability with their Romanian Allies were key to the challenge they were presented with.Indeed,a Patriot missile battery had never been deployed to Romania before.The drills will validate the unit's readiness and demonstrate US Army Europe's rapid deployment capability.They will showcase the unit's leaders' and Soldiers' resilience and build their confidence in the capabilities of their mobility platforms and mission command systems while demonstrating US commitment to Allies and partners in the Black Sea region.*
Patriot Shock is also taking place in Skwierzyna,Poland,where the W 125 launcher SC Anti-missile syetem and Newa missile were deployed by the Polish army's 35th Air Defence Squadron.Participants obtained the ability to plan,prepare and execute joint and combined training in a real time,realistic setting.The exercise increases the proficiency in defending against aerial threats,while improving the integration and interoperability between US and Polish personnel and systems.It demonstrates NATO's ability to move forces quickly and freely across allied borders and maintain freedom of movement across the region.*
Also deployed by Poland was the 23mm anti-aircraft weapon system.This built fires interoperability between the US and Poland Air Defense Artillery community,making a stronger Alliance while demonstrating the participating nations' ability to deploy troops rapidly.Troops from Poland and Sweden are synchronising and integrating their air defence systems with US Soldiers,which would be critical in any multinational contingency operations,the US Army points out.