The Finnish Defence Forces will participate in NATO's high-visibility exercise Trident Juncture 18 from 25 October to 7 November 2018. The exercise will be hosted by Norway. Some exercise units will also operate in Finland and Sweden.
The Finnish Defence Forces will participate in NATO's high-visibility exercise Trident Juncture 18 from 25 October to 7 November 2018. The exercise will be hosted by Norway. Some exercise units will also operate in Finland and Sweden.
A total of approximately 2,000 persons from all Services of the Finnish Defence Forces will participate in the exercise. The Finnish Defence Forces will train in international co-operation with staff elements and units and also in providing international assistance.
Finnish Army units participating in the exercise will include an infantry company from the Pori Brigade and the company will train as a part of a Swedish brigade. The exercise is a part of planned military cooperation between Finland and Sweden. Finnish Navy units participating in the exercise will include naval and coastal units in the training framework of Northern Coasts 18 in Finland and the Amphibious Task Unit (ATU) from the Nyland Brigade. Finland will lead exercise Northern Coasts 18 and this is the third time it is held in Finland. The exercise missions for Trident Juncture 18 will be flown mainly in Norwegian airspace with some activity also in Sweden and Finland. During the exercise, in addition to Finnish Air Force aircraft, also 1-2 foreign flight detachments will be operating from the Rovaniemi air base.
Trident Juncture 18 is a so-called high-visibility exercise for NATO and it organises these high-visibility exercises every three years. Approximately 35,000 soldiers from 30 countries will be participating in the exercise this time.
The previous exercise was in 2015 in Spain, Portugal and France. The Finnish contingent in that exercise included a fighter detachment as well as special operations forces, with a total strength of 160 persons.
