On October 25 active phase of Exercise Trident Juncture 2018 began: NATO and partner nations' forces will maneuver in Norway and surrounding north Atlantic and Baltic Sea territories, Iceland, and airspace of Finland and Sweden. The exercise rehearses defence of a NATO country under attack and collective defence scenario.
NATO's largest exercise in the recent past involves air, land, maritime, special operations and assault forces from 31 participating countries. NATO will showcase its ability to move large military capabilities within its boundaries of responsibility that ensure the Alliance's security. 65 warships operate in the water areas of the exercise, over 250 military aircraft in its airspace, over 10,000 military vehicles will deploy on land, and in total, over 50,000 military personnel will train across all domains.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces seek to operate efficiently and in concert with its allies militaries, therefore 90 soldiers of the Lithuanian Land and Air Forces, Navy, Logistics Command, Military Police, and the Lithuanian Grand Due Gediminas Headquarters Battalion are representing Lithuania at Exercise Trident Juncture 2018. Our soldiers will operate as staff officers, forward air controllers, refuelling and power supply equipment personnel, and control and communications specialists. They will train in Central and Northern European areas of the exercise - Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany.
A part of the Lithuanian soldiers are deployed to the exercise as part of NATO units: LNS Kuršis (M-54) is currently on standby with the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1); soldiers of the Deployable CIS Module of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Headquarters Battalion assigned to the 3rd NATO Signal Battalion.
The scenario imitates a conflict of near-peer adversaries. The participants are split into the "South Force" (German and Dutch corps, German, Italian, and British brigades) and the "North Force" (Norwegian, Canadian, and Swedish brigades, and expeditionary force of the US Marine Corps). The forces will switch roles to play the simulated aggressor and the NATO defence forces each. Neither the scenario, nor the exercise is directed against any other country. NATO forces will be enacting fictitious situations against fictitious enemies; however, the experience and lessons they will take away will be real.
The main area of Exercise Trident Juncture 2018 is in the central and eastern parts of Norway and surrounding water areas of the North Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. Iceland and airspace of Sweden and Finland are also exercise areas. Some of the most exciting actions will be land, air, and assault operations planned to take place in Central Norway where a collective defence scenario will be rehearsed : NATO will help Norway restore its territorial integrity and draw out a fictitious enemy.
NATO continues strengthening its readiness and mobility in response to the changing security environment, therefore Trident Juncture 2018 will test NATO ability to plan and execute main collective defence operations - from the ability to deploy and receive reinforcement, to tactical training, and command of a large force. Such an exercise improves NATO readiness to respond to any aggressor in the event of a need.
Assembly of thousands of troops and tones of equipment from 31 countries is a massive logistical commitment. The equipment and personnel will arrive in Norway from as far as San Diego in California (8300 km), Charleston in Texas (7500 km) and Izmir in Turkey (3000 km). Roughly 180 flights and 60 vessels with equipment and personnel aboard will arrive through 27 destinations in Norway (ports, airports, railway stations, roads). Roughly 130 logistics personnel have been working for years to find the best air, land and sea routes for moving forces and equipment and facilitating the deployment.
Trident Juncture 2018 is scheduled, defensive, and transparent. NATO announced as far back as 2013 that Trident Juncture 2013 would be a highly visible exercise in a northern ally, Norway. Three years ago Exercise Trident Juncture in Italy, Portugal and Spain involved roughly 36,000 soldiers from 30 countries, also, in 2002 NATO organised Exercise Strong Resolve in Norway and Poland with roughly 40,000 participants from 29 countries.
Large military drills are no news to Norway. The country has long traditions of hosting important allies and international exercises, such as Cold Response , Dynamic Mongoose, and Arctic Challenge.
More about Trident Juncture 2018 at:
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_158620.htm
https://forsvaret.no/en/exercise-and-operations/exercises/nato-exercise-2018
Media advisory: Media and DV Day is planned for October 30 near Trondheim in Norway which will provide an opportunity for the public and the Media to see NATO's defensive and offensive capacity. Please follow the link for more information: https://forsvaret.no/en/exercise-and-operations/exercises/nato-exercise-2018/media
PAO for the Lithuanian Armed Forces Defence Staff Maj Tomas Balkus, +370 5 219 6401, +370 686 28035, tomas.balkus@mil.lt
Photo credits: Sgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė
