In March 2026, troops from more than ten allied countries will train under harsh, Arctic conditions in Norway's largest military exercise in 2026.
Cold Response is a Norwegian-led winter exercise held every two years. The upcoming exercise will be the largest military exercise in Norway in 2026.
Cold Response demonstrates the unity of NATO, the strength of the Norwegian total defence and the Alliance's ability to deter threats to Norway and the High North.
The Norwegian Armed Forces and NATO must exercise regularly in order to defend Norway and NATO's northern flank.
Today's security situation, in Europe and elsewhere in the world, shows that preparedness and well-trained military forces are more important than ever. This is especially true for a long and strategically located country like Norway.
The war in Ukraine has had enormous impact not only for Ukraine, but for the entire global security situation. This demanding backdrop makes our main mission even more relevant: Defending Norway and our values.
NATO is the foundation of Norway's defence. In order to be able to defend Norway, our allies must exercise on deploying to Norway. They must also know how to operate along with Norwegian forces in a harsh winter climate.
We, and our allies, need to know our own terrain and conditions. This is fresh knowledge that needs to be trained on regularly. Northern Norway also offers great exercise areas, which makes this region well-suited for major military exercises.
The exercise will increase our preparedness and our capability to conduct large-scale joint operations in challenging weather and climate.
