Army training exercises this spring to focus on strengthening joint operating

The training exercise entity of the Army will start at the end of April to continue until early June in all of Finland. The exercises will strengthen the alliance’s ability for joint operating, build-up of combat power, and its concentration across Finland.

This spring the training exercise entity will convene conscripts, reservists, and service personnel from the Army brigade-level units, other services, and the Finnish Border Guard. The exercises will also be participated by a significant number of personnel and equipment from the allied nations. Altogether, the spring will involve exercising up to more than 20,000 soldiers for their tasks in national defence, and for joint operating with the alliance’s troops. The number of international troops and equipment will vary depending on the given exercise.

The training exercise entity will start by the Armoured brigade -led exercise Mighty Arrow 25 that is to be held at Pohjankangas range and training area at Niinisalo during 24 April – 13 May. Set to develop the readiness, capability, and joint operating competence of the Army mechanised forces with the alliance’s troops, the exercise Mighty Arrow 25 will be participated by up to c. 2,600 soldiers, of whom the majority will be conscripts. Alongside the Armoured Brigade, the exercise will be participated by troops from the Karelia Brigade, Utti Jaeger Regiment, Jaeger Brigade, Pori Brigade, Army Academy, Finnish Defence Forces’ C5 Agency, and 2. Logistics Regiment. The Finnish training audience will be strengthened by c. 300 allied troops from the UK, Lithuania, Estonia, and Germany. Alongside developing the operating of the alliance’s mechanised forces, the annual exercise at Pohjankangas will enhance joint operating with close air support while the AH-64E attack helicopters from the UK introduce a new type of air element to the exercise.

The air defence exercise Mallet Strike 25 will be held at Lohtaja range and training area during 13 −22 May 2025. The objective is to exercise the total air defence system, intensify tri-service joint operating, and develop interoperability and connectivity of air defence with the allies. The exercise will be participated by c. 1,700 soldiers from the Air Force Academy, Karelia Brigade, Armoured Brigade, Jaeger Brigade, Utti Jaeger Regiment, Army Academy, Defence Command subordinated agencies, and from the Finnish Border Guard. Of the training audience troops, approximately fifty percent will be conscripts. Additionally, the exercise will be participated by an AH-64E attack helicopter flight detachment from the British Armed Forces.

The Kainuu Brigade -led artillery live-fire exercise Northern Strike 25 will be held during 12 —25 May at Rovajärvi. Following the artillery exercise, the Kainuu Brigade -led field training exercise Northern Star 25 will start at Rovajärvi to run during 26—31 May. The objective of the exercise is to develop the competence to plan and execute a multinational land operation in the Northern operating area, as well as to develop the alliance’s joint fires also as concerns command and control, situation picture, and intelligence. The total strength of the training audience will be up to c. 6,500 personnel, including c. 5,200 soldiers from Finland, 900 from Sweden, and 350 from the UK.

The Guard Jaeger Regiment -led exercise Lively Sabre 25 will be held in the region of Eastern Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso during 21-31 May 2025. Set out to sustain and develop military joint operating ability and capability with the allies, the exercise will be participated by c. 3,500 Finnish soldiers from the Guard Jaeger regiment, Pori Brigade, and the Armoured Brigade, as well as c. 500 soldiers from Poland.

The exercise Karelian Sword 25 will be held during 23 May – 1 June 2025 in the area of Kymenlaakso. Alongside the Karelia Brigade, the exercise will be participated by troops from the Armoured Brigade, Army Academy, Pori Brigade, Finnish Defence Forces’ Logistics Command, and the Finnish Border Guard. The exercise will also be participated by soldiers from the UK and staff officers from the USA up to c. 100 personnel. The total strength of the exercise will be c. 5,000 personnel. Additionally, the exercise will be participated by elements of an AH-64E attack helicopter flight detachment of the British Armed Forces.

International helicopter activity in Army exercises

The Army training exercise activity will involve helicopters from the British Armed Forces during 24 April – 1 June. Conducted across Finland, helicopter flight activity will be part of the Army’s comprehensive exercising in the Kainuu Brigade-, Karelia Brigade-, Armoured Brigade-, and Air Force Academy -led exercises. Concentrating especially on the Finnish Defence Force’s ranges and training areas, the trex activity will also extend beyond these areas during transitions.

The training exercise contingent of the UK in Finland will comprise two AH-64E attack helicopter flight detachments and a AW159 Wildcat helicopter flight detachment. While in Finland, the helicopters will be supported by the Utti Jaeger Regiment at Utti, Kouvola, and the Pori Brigade at Säkylä. As concerns the Northern exercise activity, the helicopters will be supported by the Jaeger Brigade at the airfields of Sodankylä and Kemijärvi. The helicopters participating in the Army training exercise activity up North will also participate in military exercises held in Estonia this spring.

As part of the exercises, Finland will operate NH90 and MD500 helicopter equipment.

- Over the past years, the Army has significantly developed its ability for joint operating as part of the alliance. This spring the training exercises will reinforce concentrating joint combat power built with our allies for the defence of Finland and of NATO. Now the new cross-cutting element will be the helicopter flight detachments from the UK, Army Chief of Operations, Brigadier General Sami-Antti Takamaa says.

Personnel and equipment of the international training contingents will arrive in Finland in phases. Exercise-specific information on the brigade-level unit -led training exercises will be released before start of exercise by the brigade-level units.

The press release was updated on April 10th at 12:50 PM: The Mighty Arrow 25 exercise will include soldiers from the UK, Lithuania, Estonia, and Germany.