This Year's Major Winter Exercise Begins
More than 10,000 Norwegian and allied soldiers will train together over the next couple of weeks during Exercise Joint Viking 2025. It is important for our security.
For the Armed Forces and NATO to be able to defend Norway, we must train regularly. Given today's security landscape in Europe and the rest of the world, preparedness and well-trained military forces are more important than ever. This is especially true for a long and strategically placed country like Norway.
"Bringing our allies together in arenas like this has become even more important in light of today's uncertain security situation," says Major General Gjert Lage Dyndal, Deputy Commander at the Norwegian Joint Headquarters (NJHQ).
Nine countries, 10,000 participants
Several of the foreign forces have been in Norway for weeks conducting winter training.
"They come back almost annually to do this, and this training ensures our allies' ability to support us when needed," says Dyndal.
The NJHQ oversees the exercise, which takes place from 3 to 14 March. A total of 10,000 soldiers from nine nations are participating: Norway, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Naval rangers prepare for Joint Viking. Photo: Johannes Bærhaugen 
Photo: Nora Steenberg 
Aboard the Dutch amphibious warship Zr.Ms. «Johan de Witt». Photo: Nora Steenberg 
The Dutch Marine Corps Surface Assault and Training Group (SATG) & 2. Marine Combat Group (2.MCG) train with the Norwegian Home Guard. Photo: Ingvild Ekrol 
Photo: Ingvild Ekrol
Important insight and experience
The main activity takes place on land in the counties Troms and northern Nordland but there will also be some activity in the air and at sea, including the Tarva shooting range in central Norway.
"Joint Viking is an important exercise for us and our allied participants' ability to work well together. Training together in all domains gives us good insight and experience in what works and where we need to develop further to strengthen the defence of Norway and NATO's interests in the north," says Dyndal.
Traffic on land and in the air affected
There will be a lot of activity and military traffic on many roads in the exercise area. Motorists in Troms must be prepared to encounter military traffic and convoys.
In the exercise area, there are also restrictions for unmanned aerial vehicles and civilian flights. These are introduced to ensure flight safety during the exercise and to avoid unfortunate situations with drones, among other things.
Read more about the restrictions and how to apply for exemptions here.
