NORTHWOOD, UK – A new series of annual, multi-national military readiness exercises was launched this month with a multi-national rehearsal of a maritime escort operation stretching the length of the Baltic Sea.
Exercise LION PROTECTOR 26, planned and coordinated by the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) will run from August to October in multiple domains and locations, from the North Atlantic and Arctic to the Baltic Sea.
The opening element, BALTIC EXPRESS, from 7 to 12 August, demonstrated the safe escorting of the Danish strategic ‘Roll-on/Roll-off’ (Ro-Ro) vessel Ark Germania, which was carrying heavy military equipment for Danish forces’ routine deployment to Latvia.
The rehearsal showcased the ability of JEF nations to coordinate military activity rapidly across borders and operational domains – sea, land, air, cyber and space – to support regional security, deterrence and operational readiness.
Supporting Denmark’s reinforcement of NATO’s eastern flank
Led by Denmark and coordinated through the JEF Operational Headquarters (OHQ) based near London, BALTIC EXPRESS rehearsed the planning and execution of a multi-national operation to support the secure movement of forces through the Baltic Sea.
The exercise supported one of Denmark’s key NATO commitments by providing added protection to the seaborne element of its ‘Forward Land Force’ deployment to Latvia – a frontline NATO ally and fellow JEF nation.
Commanding Officer of the escorting Danish frigate HDMS Esbern Snare, Commander Senior Grade Ole Frandsen, said: “Through the coordinated and effective military activities in the JEF framework we can support the timely reinforcement of our allies whenever and wherever required.
“This maritime escort demonstrates not only the strength of the JEF coalition but also our ability to ensure the protection and secure movement of forces through the Baltic region.”
Lieutenant Colonel (OF-4) Karina Woebbe, is Commanding Officer of the Danish combat battalion which will be part of NATO’s Forward Land Force in Latvia.
Lt Col Woebbe said: “I would like to extend my gratitude to JEF for the framework they have established in support of our deployment. The strong cooperation between Denmark and our fellow JEF nations has been instrumental in ensuring the safe and timely delivery of our equipment to Latvia.”
The Joint Expeditionary Force
The JEF is a UK-led coalition of 10 Northern European nations designed to respond rapidly to security challenges in the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic regions, complementing NATO’s collective defence arrangements.
The JEF OHQ is part of the Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ) located in the UK, which is the JEF’s lead nation.
Group Captain Jonathan Eastlake RAF, Assistant Chief of Staff for the JEF, said: “BALTIC EXPRESS demonstrates exactly what the Joint Expeditionary Force was designed to do; bring together like minded nations at pace to coordinate military activity across the maritime, land, air, cyber and space domains.
“As the opening activity of Exercise LION PROTECTOR 26, it rehearses our ability to move forces, protect critical lines of communication and reinforce Allies in support of regional security and deterrence.”
BALTIC EXPRESS also provided an opportunity for the JEF OHQ to strengthen cohesion with the German/NATO Baltic headquarters, Commander Task Force Baltic, in Rostock while enhancing readiness, interoperability and collective resilience.
LION PROTECTOR 26
Exercise LION PROTECTOR 26 is the inaugural activity of the JEF’s LION series of exercises; its purpose is to enhance military readiness and interoperability among the northern European nations that form the JEF.
Taking place throughout the autumn, LION PROTECTOR 26 is a live, multi-domain JEF activity, designed to rehearse and refine a range of JEF Response Options (JROs), including BALTIC EXPRESS.
JROs are pre-agreed, scalable military response packages developed by JEF nations, bringing to bear multi-domain force to support rapid and coordinated responses to emerging crises and security challenges.
Group Captain Eastlake explained: “The strength of the JEF lies in its agility, its interoperability and the trust between its nations.
“Through exercises such as this, we continue to refine the JEF Response Options, so they remain credible against emerging challenges, while complementing NATO’s activity across Northern Europe.”
Remaining stages include maritime security operations in the North Atlantic, critical infrastructure protection in Iceland, and the deployment of the JEF OHQ to the High North in Exercise LION APEX.
As LION PROTECTOR 26 continues into the autumn, BALTIC EXPRESS set the scene, highlighting how the JEF complements NATO deterrence and national defence plans by providing a flexible and rapidly deployable framework.
The strength of cooperation between JEF nations and their shared commitment to maintaining readiness, interoperability and security across NATO’s northern flank will be enhanced by LION PROTECTOR 26.
Learn more about the Danish FLF deployment here.
Read more about the JEF here.