The Finnish Defence Forces will participate in the NATO-led multinational exercise Trident Juncture 18, 25 October- 7 November 2018. The exercise is hosted by Norway. Finnish troops participating in the exercise will operate in Finland, Sweden and Norway.
During the exercise units from the Army, Navy and Air Force will train in executing the tasks of the Finnish Defence Forces in demanding multinational conditions. In addition to the exercise troops, the exercise trains staffs in international cooperation.
The naval exercise Northern Coasts 18 (NOCO18), held simultaneously around the Baltic Sea is also connected to exercise Trident Juncture 18. NOCO 18 will be led and hosted by Finland according to the rotation principle. A total of 2,400 personnel will be participating in both exercises from Finland.
The Army contingent’s strength in exercise Trident Juncture is approximately 250 soldiers. An infantry company consisting of conscripts from the Pori Brigade will train as a part of a Swedish brigade. Their main equipment will consist of Patria XA-203 armoured personnel carriers. The exercise is a part of planned military cooperation between Finland and Sweden.
The Amphibious Task Unit from Uusimaa (Nyland) Brigade will be the Navy’s contingent in Trident Juncture in Norway. The company’s strength is approximately 80 persons. The strength of the naval and coastal troops participating in exercise Northern Coasts is approximately 1,800.
A total of 9 F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighters and approximately 160 personnel will participate in Trident Juncture 18 from the Finnish Air Force. During the exercise Finnish Air Force aircraft will be flying from their base in Rovaniemi and from the Royal Norwegian Air Force base in Ørland. The flight activities of the exercise will take place in Norwegian, Finnish and Swedish airspace
In addition to Finnish aircrat, also US Air Force F-15C fighters, KC-135 air-to-air refuelling aircraft and Belgian F-16 fighters will be flying from Rovaniemi.
The Defence Forces Logistics Command will provide logistics support to the exercise in Finland, Sweden and Norway.
Trident Juncture 18 is a so-called high-visibility exercise for NATO. NATO organises high-visibility exercises every three years. Over 40,000 soldiers from 30 countries will be participating in the exercise. Finland is functioning as a partner nation in the exercise. The goal of Finland's participation is to strengthen national defence capability and improce international interoperability.
Please watch the Defence Forces´ excercise trailer
