Even before joining NATO, the Swedish military is taking part in the alliance’s largest military air exercise since the end of the Cold War. “We are trying to further promote integration, and this is made possible by Finland’s membership and Sweden’s upcoming membership,” said Norwegian air chief Rolf Folland.
“This means that the last obstacle to full integration has been removed and that we can operate as one air force in times of peace, crisis and war,” explains the head of the new air force center. The exercises, involving more than 20,000 soldiers from more than a dozen countries, are taking place in the far north of Norway, Sweden and Finland to counter the growing threat from Russia.
Trained support from US forces
In Bodö, Northern Norway, American and Norwegian F-35 fighter jets, together with Finnish F-18 and Swedish Gripen fighter jets, flew low over the Camp Bodin military base as part of an initial test of a joint Nordic Air Operations Center, an important part of the extensive alliance exercise Steadfast Defender 2024.
The exercise will test how U.S. forces can strengthen European allies on NATO’s eastern flank and test new regional defense plans. About 90,000 soldiers, about 50 ships, aircraft, tanks and other armored vehicles are expected to participate in May.
The war in Ukraine brought new NATO members
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, Sweden and Finland gave up their long-standing non-alignment and joined NATO. Sweden could officially join the transatlantic alliance within days after Hungary signed its final ratification last week. While Finland and Norway have land borders with the aggressor Russia, Sweden dominates the central Baltic Sea with the island of Gotland and thus plays an important role in the defense of the Baltic NATO states.
Source: Krone
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