NATO Allies practise Arctic amphibious operations in Norway to prepare for NORDIC RESPONSE 2024 as part of STEADFAST DEFENDER 2024.
~
Troops from France, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, the United States, and Sweden have deployed to Harstad, Norway for exercise NORDIC RESPONSE 2024. NORDIC RESPONSE is part of NATO’s biggest exercise in decades called STEADFAST DEFENDER 2024, which sees 90,000 forces from 31 Allies and soon full NATO member Sweden train together across various NATO countries and multiple operational domains.
Troops participated in amphibious operations training as they got ready to engage in the field exercise, which is running from 3 to 14 March. Finnish, French and Swedish forces have embarked on the US Navy’s USS Gunston Hall, an amphibious assault ship. Meanwhile, the Netherlands Marine Corps have practised amphibious landings on Sandstrand beaches near Harstad. Additionally, Italian marines from the San Marco Marine Brigade have trained their sharpshooting skills in the freezing Norwegian Arctic.
Working together in such a hostile environment enabled these soldiers from several NATO countries to increase their efficiency and strengthen their resilience in order to operate in all climate conditions, while at the same time testing their ability to deploy from all corners of the Alliance.
This NATO Multimedia footage, filmed 26 February, includes shots of the Netherlands Marine Corps practising amphibious landings, Italian troops from the San Marco Marine Brigade practising sharpshooting skills and getting trained by the Norwegian Army in winter survival skills, as well as members of the Finnish Nyland Brigade boarding USS Gunston Hall. Footage also includes an interview with the Commanding Officer of the US Navy’s USS Gunston Hall.
Shot list:-
- 00:00 ~ Members of the Netherlands Marine Corps practising amphibious landings on a beach in Sandstrand, Norway
- 00:59 ~ Members of the Netherlands Marine Corps unloading two BV206 amphibious tracked vehicles
- 01:16 ~ A member of the Norwegian Army talking to two soldiers from the Netherlands Marine Corps
- 01:29 ~ Members of the Netherlands Marine Corps standing next to a BV206 amphibious tracked vehicle
- 01:38 ~ A Leopard 1 Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle advancing in the water
- 01:46 ~ Members of the San Marco Marine Brigade practising their sharpshooting skills in the snow
- 02:06 ~ Members of the Italian San Marco Marine Brigade hiking back to camp in the snow
- 02:18 ~ Snipers from the San Marco Marine Brigade practising their sharpshooting skills in the snow
- 03:02 ~ A Norwegian soldier training members of the San Marco Marine Brigade in winter survival skills
- 03:19 ~ Finnish soldiers from the Nyland Brigade boarding the USS Gunston Hall
- 04:37 ~ Finnish soldiers from the Nyland Brigade standing in formation on the USS Gunston Hall’s well deck
- 05:00 ~ Soundbite – Commander Christopher W. Van Loenen, Commanding Officer, USS Gunston Hall
- 05:22 ~ Soundbite – Commander Christopher W. Van Loenen
- 05:35 ~ Soundbite – Commander Christopher W. Van Loenen
- 06:08 ~ Soundbite – Commander Christopher W. Van Loenen
~