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The Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command’s LOGEX21 will support the exercises making up the Defence Forces main exercise 2021

Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command
Publication date 12.5.2021 12.57
Press release

The Defence Forces’ spring 2021 main exercise will be executed as partial exercises at different locations in Finland due to the COVID-19 situation. The Logistics Command will participate in the exercises 14 May - 3 June with its Logistics Exercise North (LOGEX) 21 and by supporting exercise troops on land, at sea and in the air.

The Defence Forces organizes a main exercise every other year. In the 2021 main exercise, the training objectives will include joint operations, use of fire, logistics and leadership as well as cooperation with the Border Guard.  The exercises to be organized by the Army, Navy and Air Force at different locations in Finland from the middle of May - beginning of June will make up the Defence Forces main exercise 2021. 

It will be the responsibility of the Logistics Command to provide the exercise troops with a wide range of support enabling the execution of the exercise.  Through the Defence Forces Logistics Command, the materiel needed for the exercises will be provided for the troops from weapon systems to vehicles and soldiers’ personal equipment, the maintenance of this materiel included.  The Logistics Command will also contribute to the seamless running of logistics services involving fuel, medical supplies and catering and other logistics services. 

The largest partial exercise of the Defence Forces’ main exercise 2021 is the Army exercise Northern Forest 21 to be organized in Rovajärvi, Sodankylä and Kittilä 17 May-3 June.  The total strength of the exercise will be 7 000 persons, including appr. 2 000 reservists. 

The largest logistics exercise entity in the 2021 main exercise will be the Defence Forces Logistics Command’s 3rd Logistics Regiment’s LOGEX2021, which will be in charge of the provision of support for Northern Forest and the Air Force exercise simultaneously taking place in Northern Finland.  300 salaried personnel and reservists will participate in the exercise. 

LOGEX21 will provide a wide range of logistics support for the troops training in Northern Finland.  The exercise will also provide a framework for training reservists for emergency conditions logistics tasks in so-called  RSOM companies.  RSOM activities (Receiving, Staging, Onward Movement) cover the measures with which the Defence Forces prepares to receive international military assistance in compliance with the Defence Forces task laid down in legislation in 2017. Receiving assistance requires a political decision by State authorities.

The Defence Forces Logistics Command has trained reservists for RSOM procedures since 2020.  In LOGEX21, RSOM operations and measures involving the provision of host nation support for foreign troops will be trained with Swedish troops coming to the Army’s Northern Forest exercise.  The core of RSOM activities consists of the reception of land, sea and air transported equipment and troops at border-crossing points, provision of information to the troops as well as transfers and transportation in Finland.   Host nation support, in turn, covers the practical measures taken to support the activities of the international force in Finland.  In practice, this support consists of materiel and other logistics services very similar to the support provided by the Defence Forces to its own troops.  

Leijona Catering and Millog, strategic partners of the Defence Forces, will also participate in LOGEX21. They will contribute to the arrangements involving catering and the maintenance of Army vehicles. 

The planning of these military exercises requires the monitoring of the COVID-19 situation, and the execution of each of them is considered case-by-case.   Conducting exercises requires focusing special attention to health safety and the obligation of carefully abiding by COVID-19 instructions. Adjustments may be made on the exercise activities.

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