The UK Armed Forces recently participated in a collection of joint exercises across Northern Europe with NATO allies and international partners.
These exercises sought to bolster joint responsiveness and demonstrate the combat capabilities of the UK Armed Forces, underlining their role as an expeditionary force and their commitment to NATO, the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), and international partners.
Exercise Northern Forest, along with Exercise Arrow and Exercise Lightning Strike, made up Finland’s largest modern land force drill in the Arctic Circle. The operations incorporated 8,000 personnel from Finland, Norway, Sweden, the US, and the UK.
The UK, Sweden, Norway, and Finland are all members of the JEF, which also includes Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.
In one of the combat scenarios, a British Armoured Infantry Company teamed up with a Finnish brigade, a Norwegian Armoured Reconnaissance battalion, and a US Army Mountain Division to counter an “enemy force” of Finnish, Swedish and US Marine Forces.
Major Peter Daniell, Commanding Officer of A Company, 5 Rifles, described the exercise as “extraordinary” and “immensely challenging.” He expressed that “Ex Northern Forest was an extraordinary training opportunity for A Company. It is a rare luxury to train on armour in this vast, complex terrain that offers such advantage to light role infantry.”
Major Daniell elaborated on the significant learnings from the experience, saying “From the Finns we learned the value of operating as small, dispersed teams amidst the challenges of avoiding fratricide. From the Swedes we learned the confidence to plough our armour through the swampy, rocky forests to make aggressive terrain gains. From us they saw the battle-winning advantage of deploying empowered junior leaders with anti-armour screens forward of our fighting vehicles. It has been refreshing to be obliged to adapt novel tactics and to challenge the cultural sacred cows of armoured tactics.”
Did I read somewhere Finland has the most artillery pieces out of any NATO country?
As they have a long border with Russia and fought them last century (twice I think?) its not surprising they have large amounts of Artillery.
Don’t worry now they are part of NATO I’m sure they will reduce those – as have we all.
I wonder if the high amount of artillery is at the expense of other size of service, e.g. air power.
Be interesting to see if they follow the same pattern now as the rest of NATO.
Replacement of their F18 force with F35 shows their ambition to fully integrate with NATO air operations.
Their defence spending above 3% GDP suggests that it’s not one or the other rather both.
So Aligned definitely, the Same I doubt.
Generally, believe most observers are pleased Finland has been assimilated into NATO, w/ Sweden hopefully not too far behind. Believe that, collectively, Nordic countries backed by JEF reinforcements, would seriously inconvenience the Russians in any unfriendly overland acquisition attempt. Slightly less sanguine re maritime and aerospace environment, but that can be rectified by investment over time, and in the near term by expeditionary units from other NATO members. However, once the ChiComs annex the Artic…🤔
… Arctic…🙄
The terrain as I have seen and the fighting heritage of the three northern Nordics, post Ukraine, is far beyond the capabilities of the Russians. They could be a nuisance, nothing more. My guess is the Russians would chose to use asymmetric warfare in the north with limited aims. But then when one sees the trolls popping up on this board, what are their chances of success?
Being a neighbour of Russia should create a desire to stop aggression in its tracks. It will probably be Ukraine’s plan post conflict. Being part of NATO deters aggression but should that fail it will take a while before sufficient NATO forces roll in to turn the tide. If they are sensible Finland will maintain their existing forces perhaps increase them.
The peace time Finnish Army is only about 3,000 men, with 20,000 undergoing training at any one time. The reason Finland has so much equipment is essentially it’s pre-positioned for when they call up their reservists. Fundamentally it’s a very different force structure to other NATO countries.
My contact in Finnish Artillery assures me that they continue to invest in both accuracy and volume of deep fires. He wouldn’t discuss the observation/intelligence gathering so I surmise that the lessons of Ukraine are being learnt.
I hope they do & tbh believe they will due to their proximity & experiences.
The later half of my comment was aimed (no pun intended) at those who ascert that being in NATO means we can reduce our forces accordingly as others will pick up that function.
I await the comments stating that we now dont need artillery increases & can in fact reduce ours to a single 12 pounder as Finland brings copiuos ammounts of artillery to the NATO table.
It is true. NATO members only need a token amount of artillery for 2 reasons. 1, you become a member of the nuclear club, which deters aggression and 2, other member states will all add to the front in the unlikely event of a conventional war.
Please explain the relationship between N.A.T.O. members and ‘other’ N.A.T.O. members.
Other as in not the same, sorry my English isn’t very good.
Let me compare and contrast with a non-NATO member. The US has withdrawn about 300,000 155mm shells from Israel in order to transfer them to Ukraine, shells that Israel was expecting to be able to draw down on for use near the Lebanon border. Israel immediately spent $60m on an order for tens of thousands of shells from Elbit to be produced locally. The numbers are in proportion to the thousands of shells Stoltenberg has claimed are expended daily in Ukraine. Perhaps still not enough. On the other hand the UK has placed a significant order for 155mm artillery shells… Read more »
This is not working for 2 good reasons:
1 – various systems make things difficult when you have to maintain equipements gathered on a small area
2 – low quantity and no ammo from anyone does not make a fighting force.
Hence Poland sweating bullets right now. Comfort is the ennemy of good readiness. But, we agree, it is not a British issue. The see… etc, etc…
Finland: slightly different approach….
I know this is off on a ‘slight’ tangent however, I remember the days when a European military force was suggested.
Is this effectively what is going on with NATO countries? This country is good at doing ‘this’, and that country is good at ‘that’, while another country is good at whatever else?
Given that the two major contributors to peace in Europe are not EU Member States the concept of a European Union Army seems like the Common Market becoming the European Project i.e. over extension. Former US presidents have remarked that continental Europe hasn’t paid it’s way on Defense, which is accurate surprisingly. So you would expect some US enthusiasm for increased Defense spending in Europe. However as soon as DOD points out that EU Army isn’t under NATO control, rather Strasbourg, that enthusiasm is gone. The German announcement of additional €100Bn Defence spending is a start and not aligned with… Read more »
That’s an inaccurate description of the American position on increased European defense spending and an EU army. US presidents of both political parties have, for over 25 years, called for increased European defense spending. Support for that position is totally independent of the US’s position on an EU Army. The US objection to that is that it duplicates NATO and muddies command and control issues. Secondly, the US has always seen the call for an EU army as a French and EU bureaucrat attempt to replace NATO and to delink the US from Europe.
It really doesn’t though. It’s just an excuse because the US doesn’t particularly want to see a united Europe (A single European Army could easily be a rival for the US defence industry for example. If the EU decides eg to buy a new IFV, and orders 3,000 then suddenly the economies of scale means that they can produce them as cheaply as the Americans can.) An EU Army, as in a genuine one, doesn’t muddy command and control or duplicate NATO, it just turns NATO from an alliance with 31 members into one with 8, two of which have… Read more »
That’s a great idea. You go ahead and do that. What a stupid comment.. the US will fight anyone. That’s what they do. Pick a side.
👜💩💩
Tetchy there Estaban? I have more right to criticise US foreign policy than you ever will have.
I think the last time we had a single European Army Dern, it was under the previous European Union, also known as the Third Reich!
Plenty of economies of scale there…..
Joking aside, you make a valid point, as the EU slowly morphs into the Federal United States of Europe, as we all know strives to be, it will become a genuine socioeconomic power block that will upset the current world balance.
The only reason N.A.T.O. works is because it is essentially a continuation of the winning wartime alliance: Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. The litmus test for ‘Europe’ came on 24th February 2022. The one country to leave the E.U. got out of bed fastest and supplied Ukraine with the means to fight ‘come what may’. The subsequent behaviour of the ‘Europeans’ has been on the curve from lacklustre, an avoidance of reality, and foot dragging; though come victory it will be re-packaged as ‘decisive’. Europeans will protect me? I think not. A European Army if it ever came… Read more »
It depends also of perceived interests in such a war, don’t you think? What is the point of having an hostile Russia at the eastern border? For USA, answer is obvious: domination of Europe diplomacy, arms and energy sales. For UK, recreating european ties after self inflicted diplomatic and economic damages through Brexit. For France and Germany… Not so much interests. And so the big story came up. 3 Bn€ in arms donation in a year and a half… UK did an incredible job… 14 tanks… Mazette! Compare all this with WW2 numbers and everybody see « postures » and « story telling »… Read more »
Not really. This is actually the opposite: National Interest forming defence policy rather than collectivist interest.
Post Brexit, post Ukraine, I can see the EU becoming a state, with combined Armed Forces, emerging. An all powerful global superpower to rival the US and China, and to keep Russia in check. Isn’t this the primary goal of the EU? Where the UK will sit in all this is unclear, but it’s position on the global stage is becoming increasingly diminished.
Frosty do go bother someone who gives a flying fuck about your trolling.
Delusions of grandeur is the word I use for citizens of the UK, after the suicidal brexit vote. Which by the way will have profound impacts far beyond the party political intentions of Mr. Cameron. Now, I get you need to move on, but a 51% victory because of the ramblings of a privileged middle aged boozer (Farage) is not, to me, democracy in action, it is the opposite. Sorry for Trolling and yeah who gives a flying fuck.
“Sorry for trolling” continues to troll. Come back when you’re capable of having a conversation not just sticking your head up your arse and sniffing your own farts.
Bad day at school today?
Still trolling huh?
It is impossible to express an alternative, negative or critical view on this site without being called a troll. It is nothing more than a collective of inflated egos. I appreciate that you are trying to offend by labelling somebody else a troll but it has no effect whatsoever. I appreiciate that you are angry, but name calling is very childish.
And you get very angry very easily, as trolls don’t like getting dicked!
Just asking… what’s a troll?? It’d not a creature who lives under bridges in fairy tales then?
Fairy tail land are the key words!
See ‘agent provocateur’. A false witness, one who tries to provoke often though insincerely held opinions. Colloquially, a shítstirrer.
No. You get called a troll when you troll.
Well the way you express opinion of Brexit warrants that.
It is very important that Western countries compete between them at political level. We don’t want UE, US with too much power.
Politics already have too much power in the current political epoch in Western world
The fact that UK is now out diminishes a bit that power.
The UK is not really a major power anymore… Let’s just accept that fact and move on. The independent nuclear power thing is a complete and actual joke. And the rest of it is kind of an embarrassment. That’s what it is.
👜💩
It never fails to amaze me how the Anti-British crowd always resort to: Nationalism Far-right Shades of Empire And in your case “The UK is not really a major power anymore…” All I see here is the use of polarised adages and tropes in an attempt to claim some ethereal highground by the anti-British crowd To that end, do be so kind as to post anything written by any of the pro UK posters on here, which substantiates your claim. Oh that’s right you can’t As for: “”The independent nuclear power thing is a complete and actual joke.”” Right and… Read more »
👍
Not really a major power.
By what factors are you deciding that Esteban?
NATO security council member
Nuclear armed state with continuous at sea deterrent
6th/7th largest economy in the world despite having circa 1% of the world’s population
We are just a small country but have many links and many friends. Over the course of history many tin pot dictators have under estimated the UK…and then lost.
The United Kingdom was never a great power in the conventional sense, Esters old bean. Significantly all the great lasting achievements in Empire building were sea ports around the globe: Cape Town, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Auckland. Trade was the name of the game. That and language are our lasting gifts to the world we shaped. That makes us a magnet to this present age – after all, you come here, don’t you?
That is not the point i am making. UK being independent from EU will have some different policies. That is crucial.
It is is important for the West that we don’t have all the same policies, otherwise we will die for the same reason.
It is not that you cannot express ‘an alternative, negative or critical view on this site without being called a troll.’ It is just the same one over and over again. Frankly, I wouldn’t waste my life on doing so. Say what you believe and leave for another site that appreciates your point of view, so easily summarised for you by many here.
Ah see getting angrier by the minute and getting verbally frothy and flustered. Still my question remains, why does a none UK citizen, with no military experience join a UK based military information and commentary site? We are waiting!
And you just keep blathering on old man… It’s how you are perceived in the rest of the world and the actual capability you have and it’s not great. I’m sure your country is lovely. I’ve been there many times. But you are not up to the task at the moment at all. And these are the facts. The constant insults to anyone that disagrees with you really demean yourself. Look in the mirror. I know the old jinguistic thing dies hard but look within.
Firstly, wow how fortunate another sad jealous troll rocks up to support another after being off the site for a considerable time. Secondly “been here many times” remember when you claimed and pretended to be from the UK, so you’re a liar. Thirdly, using ageist terminology does show you’re getting angry as well. Insults, nope, assessing someone as getting angry is not an insult, it’s just you sad jealous trolls don’t like being found out and challenged. Fourthly, I know you love the US, but you keep getting caught climbing the fence, that’s your issue, don’t take it out on… Read more »
Careful Airborne. I know he is an idiot but when you complain about ageism you sound ‘woke’. I know you would not want that.
Just pointing out his contradictions and child like guff! He won’t answer anyway as he is off trolling other sites (caught him on STRN a while back, same avatar)! Or he may yet again have been caught by the US border patrol and he is in the process of being bussed back over the border.
Not upto what task Esteban? I’m confused by what you are trying to allude too. Also may I be so bold as to ask where you are from please? Just so I can undertake a character assignation of your home country. Sure the UK has problems, sure we definitely could do much much better in terms of hard power and our armed forces. Sure we have had some distinctly dodgy prime ministers and they have made bad decisions. Sure unfortunately by most metrics BREXIT will make the UK GDP and wealth poorer Vs staying in EU. Everyone knows those facts.… Read more »
Amazed you could actually spell all that.
Thanks for the interest. I wasn’t under the impression this site was just for toothless sunburnt ex-squaddies with far right political agendas. I also wasn’t under the impression that this site was exclusively for UK citizens, which by very definition is hard to define. The Internet is global, unregulated, and open to all. You maybe paid by the Russian state to provoke pro-russian sentiment with your inflated, dated and glorified view of the UK as being a global military elite?
Oh dear that’s a weak answer but without giving one, also quickly answered by yourself, like never before, after my quick reply to Esteban! Wow you trolls do make it obvious. Also do the ex Navy and ex RAF also have no teeth?
The Raf have teeth, as there is toothpaste in hotels. As for Andrew, just hard gums.
Wow you are showing how sad and weird you are. Maybe a European troll who’s scared about the future now UK has completed Brexit, as you seem to mention it so often! It’s ok, I’m sure you can be brave and make your own way in the future.
“I also wasn’t under the impression that this site was exclusively for UK citizens,” Nobody said it was, least of all Airborne. However, if you’re not a UK citizen, and perusing a UK centric defence website, you either have a great interest in UK military affairs, or have an agenda. And seeming as you, and Esteban, and others, are all IDENTICAL in that you put down at every opportunity rather than post with balance, both positive and negative, regards UK military affairs, shows you are the latter, an agenda. And that can only lead to one accusation. Troll. We have… Read more »
Intent? I have great respect for the UK. They are arguably the most advanced military in the world. Typhoon with Meteor, there is simply no better interceptor. Trident. The carriers, an innovative simple approach. The large Chinook force. Wildcat, probably the world’s best light combat helicopter. The Voyager fleet. And above all us the intelligence force. The list goes on. The national pride that the monarchy generates, a great state power. Every F35 is 15 percent British. As a country it is by definition a green and pleasant land, people are warm and welcoming. The UK is a better, smaller… Read more »
Give yourself a troll break me old China and have the balls to stick to your guns! One moment you slag the UK and its people off, then you pander to posters with patronising drivel and mealy mouthed platitudes. You have an agenda but have not got the balls to admit it. Coward. Do you want me to cut and paste the abusive posts towards the UK, the monarchy, the military, its ex serving members etc? Easily done I’ve done it for the other sad trolls who have been removed from the site?
Yes go head
And I’m the Tooth Fairy…..🙄
Yes, yes, we are all living on grass roots and going hoarse from singing God Save the King ….
😆
My hoarse actually eats grass…
Why is 52% of the vote (I corrected that slight mistake for you ) not democracy in action- it literally is?
As for the rest of the comment you are not UK and therefore you will never understand nor appreciate the psyche inherent therin- even diluted its still there.
You are merely seeking to divide and obfuscate.
Cut the pro Fascist lies please. Leave did not get 52% of the vote in a legitimate election even with the benefit of illegal funding from Russia.
I admit I am bemused by Frost trying to point out Brexit is a disaster while working for one of the sources of funding for it but just let him dig his hole.
I am watching this whole debate with interest. I think Frost is a Russian backed troll and he is squabbling pointlessly with Britain’s equivalent to Putin’s support base.
Yaaaaaaawn
What a joke. Nothing but the opposite I’m afraid. Don’t subscribe to actually believing the Ruskfascist commentary or the world order according to Mad Vlad.
‘… increasingly diminished.‘
Not, I think, the popular view in Ukraine, where prompt and fulsome political and military support was helping the defeat of the Army of Rapists at the gates of Kyiv before the Europeans got their morning croissants.
Your crystal ball is on the blink. Either that or Madame Arcate needs to refund you for your reading lessons. I see a tall dark stranger coming from the West. You will journey far, crossing water. After many misunderstandings, all will finally be well.
Cross my palm with silver and I will b***s*** even more.
What I dream off is for France a secure eastern border through EU and Nato. From this a combined naval and air power with England and Italy to protect European sea lines and trade. This is doable, achievable and in direct line with Saint Malo and Lancaster house agreements. Make far more sens than staying isolated and protect long terms interests off all nations involved.
But dreams are dreams, and our prefered ennemy and valuable friends have so much to assess that I don’t know what will happen in the end.
In the E.U. (an oligarchy), who decides what the ‘National Interest is’ for all the rest?
They all do, but especially France and Germany. France do it well in agriculture, hence the CAP, Germany in finance, hence the euro. France have been trying for decades to also do that in defence, getting everyone else to pay for France’s defence industry. Sorry, France; you can’t win them all.
That’s the JEF concept. Use the advantages each member state brings to bear. Macron must be peeved as JEF represents an example of what he has been trying with French leadership to get the whole of the EU to do.
Unfortunately no one believes in French leadership or trusts Macron.
O dear, all very desperate now
You sad muppet! Getting frustrated I see and therefore yet again getting your handbag out 👜! And you still haven’t got the balls to state your own heritage and country of origin!
Oh dear you are a very angry soul aren’t you😂
He aims. He shoots…. and, oh dear, the arrow has gone so far from the target the audience think he was aiming for a different forum. That or that he shouldn’t post when drunk (sorry, Frosty,we’ve all done it). Sleep it off and try again tomorrow.
Long live the king 👑
A very worthwhile investment given the climate they have to operate in!
Fight the freeze: US land forces modernise gear for Arctic warfare02 AUGUST 2023
Necessary as the Arctic is about to become a very very important transit route between Asia and Europe/ north America.
Putin would like those transit routes entirely controlled by Russia, under Russian rules and paying Russia to transit the international high seas.
Canada and US are slowly waking upto this fact and hopefully there will be some renewed investment in defence capabilities in Iceland, Greenland, northern Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, northern Canada.
Canada probably need to join the Aukus sub programme and definitely need SSNs to help safeguard their northern coastline and transit routes.
Indeed, I touched upon this some years ago on here as you may recall.
And don’t forget China!
If you look at a globe, the North is virtually encircled by Russia. Surely this gives them some right to the northern seas?
With what exactly?
A Russian naval ship has been damaged in a Ukrainian naval drone attack in the Black Sea, Ukrainian sources say.
From media reports so far the Canadians are only talking to SSK builders about their next gen buy.
The ice is receding dramatically (very dramatically) in the arctic so diesel -electric subs is what Canada will ultimately need.
Korea’s KSS-III submarine is top of the list for that. Small crew size and VLS launch has checked a lot of boxes for the RCN and the Chief of Staff. 12 Subs are also the number required for this procurement.
This is a discussion I have difficulties to give ground. The Artic route is of some interest under a simple condition: peace with Russia and China. For India, no point. For Africa, no point. Given current diplomatic trends, what is the point?
Given current demographique trends, we are going nower, it is just talks.
For me, choke points remain in Suez, red sea and to some extant Malaca.
Chinese downfall starting in 2030… and given time required to build sea power, I believe there is no priority on this line.
Good to read the Brits, at least, show no hesitation in learning from our allies.
The Brits taught everybody everything.
Barry did say “learning” from our allies you muppet🙄
Read the sentence then comment! Shit the bed it’s not hard.
Back in the day BAOR (British Army of the Rhine) Army of 55000 was based and would be reinforced on North German Plane. Paras would reinforce Denmark & Royal Marine Commando to Norway. By the way, don’t judge UK by small land mass.UK has 67 million citizens, all potential customers £$£$. UK has A1+ University’s. UK has major multinational company’s HQ in UK such as BAE etc & world leader in many fields inc Satellite manufacture. We are not poor nation but Individually maybe. The UK government has wasted £$£$ Billions including £$£$£$£$ Billions that went missing or wasted during… Read more »