Royal Danish Air Force F-16C fighter jets during Arctic Challenge exercises, May 24, 2019. Photo: US Air Force Photo / Legion-Media

The multinational military exercises Arctic Challenge 2023, hosted by Finland, Sweden and Norway, begin on Monday and will last until June 9. It is one of the largest aerial manoeuvres in Europe this year.

According to a statement, about 3,000 soldiers and 150 aircraft from 14 countries will participate in the exercises.

In addition to the three Nordic nations, militaries from the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Czech Republic and the United States will attend, as well as NATO troops with their Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) surveillance aircraft.

The maneuvers are aimed at strengthening the ability to jointly conduct combat air operations, as well as improving air combat tactics between different types of aircraft.

Arctic Challenge 23 is part of the Cross Border Training (CBT) initiated by the Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish air forces in 2008, training that was gaining in complexity and participants until becoming Arctic Challenge.

In 2011, talks began on a larger-scale CBT exercise, in which the Nordic countries invited allies and partners to join.

In 2013 the first Arctic Challenge was launched, and since then, the combined exercise is held every two years.

Final preparations for hosted exercise Arctic Challenge are underway as participating nations arrive at Rovaniemi Air Base for🇫🇮🇳🇴🇸🇪kick off,May 29

150 aircraft from 14 #NATO & Partner nations will take part enhancing 4th & 5th gen integration

Read more https://t.co/miJFpGlbUk pic.twitter.com/3fUpzH7qXp

— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) May 26, 2023

As reported by the Swedish Air Force, one of the objectives of ACE 23 is "... train and train units in the planning and conduct of air operations..." with the north set on achieving the standards of requirements established for FLAG type exercises.

The latter includes the execution of Command and Control tactics and procedures, strengthening cooperation between participating countries and checking interoperability between 4th and 5th generation fighters.

For this new edition of Arctic Challenge, Finland arranged that the deployment and activities will be executed from four different air bases located in three countries: Luleå Kallax Air Base, Sweden; Örland Air Base, Norway; Rovaniemi and Pirkkala, Finland.

The last ACE exercise took place in 2021.

Photo: @NATO_AIRCOM

Photo: @NATO_AIRCOM

Photo: @NATO_AIRCOM

(With information from RT en Español)