Exercise Southern Griffin 25 to develop combined joint operating capability of special operations forces of the Alliance’s member nations

The Utti Jaeger Regiment will lead an international special operations forces training exercise during 25 August – 12 September 2025. The exercise will develop the combined joint operating capability of special forces of the Alliance’s member nations in Northern Europe’s conditions.

The exercise Southern Griffin 25 will be participated by up to c. 1,600 personnel. Alongside service personnel, conscripts and reservists of the Finnish Defence Forces, the exercise will be participated by special operations forces and agency representatives from Europe and the United States of America. 

The training audience forces will operate across Finland. Training exercise activity will be conducted on land, at sea, in the air, and at areas of freshwater bodies.

The exercise will be commanded by Commander of the Utti Jaeger Regiment, Colonel Kimmo Nordberg.

Joint operating procedures ensuring the capability for combined joint operating

The objective of Southern Griffin 25 is to reinforce combined joint operating, interoperability and connectivity of the Finnish Defence Forces’ special operations forces and special operations aviation with allied nations and agency units.

In addition to operative units’ activity, the exercise will develop more widely than in the past also joint command and control as well as command structures.

– Multinational training exercises have been part of the Utti Jaeger Regiment’s established practice for many years now. This time, the training exercise area extending from Southern Finland to Northern Finland sets requirements concerning especially command and control as well as logistics. The extensive area increases the exercise’s level of complexity that in turn makes this a source of development at many levels. Combined joint exercising of special operations forces in Finland's demanding conditions enables swift projection of allies’ capabilities to defence of Finland, and demonstrates the Finnish Defence Force’s ability to receive international support at all levels of operation, says Exercise Director, Colonel Kimmo Nordberg.

Special operations aviation to support operations

From the Utti Jaeger Regiment, the exercise will be participated by NH90 transport helicopters and MD500 light helicopters. The Finnish Air Force supports the exercise with F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. Additionally, the training audience will include aircrafts from other participating European countries and the United States.

The participating helicopters and transport aircraft will support the exercise by transports of materiel and personnel.

Flight activity and use of blank drill ammunition may cause noise disturbance.

Exercise execution considers reindeer herding economy and ongoing hunting season 

In forest terrain, training audience troops in different kinds of camouflage combat gear are hard to detect. As the hunting period starts at the turn of August-September, the local hunting districts will be notified of the exercise via the Finnish Hunters’ Association.

The Utti Jaeger Regiment will notify reindeer herders at training exercise areas via the Reindeer Herders’ Association. 

All communications concerning the Utti Jaeger Regiment’s training exercise activity are kindly asked to be submitted primarily via e-mail or by using the feedback form available online at: maavoimat.fi/utin-jaakarirykmentti/yhteystiedot.