Sweden to join major military exercises in Latvia

RIGA  - Sweden is the latest country to join major military exercises in Latvia next month. The NATO-backed Steadfast Jazz project will take place from Nov. 2-9 in what is seen as the largest military exercise in the region of the last seven years.

Around 6,000 personnel will participate in the exercise. Up to 3,000 headquarters’ personnel from Joint Force Command Brunssum and other headquarters will be involved in a command and control exercise on the Adazi Base near Riga, and at several other headquarters locations across the Alliance.

Air, land, marine and special forces will also participate from several locations. The exercises will test and certify  NATO’s rapid-reaction formations.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: “I welcome Sweden’s participation, alongside that of Finland and Ukraine. Our relationship is already strong, and this will make it even stronger.”

“The NATO Response Force is the spearhead of this Alliance: a rapid-reaction group able to defend any ally, deploy anywhere, and deal with any threat. Exercise Steadfast Jazz will make sure that the spearhead is sharp, and ready for use.” 

The Secretary General added: “Over the past 20 years, NATO and our partners have stood shoulder to shoulder in our operations. We have learned to work as a team. The Connected Forces Initiative will make sure that that team keeps on getting better.”

The Nordic nation becomes the third partner country to join Steadfast Jazz, alongside Finland and Ukraine.