Norwegian King Harald and Crown Prince Haakon recently participated in NATO exercises held in Norway, which involved over 20,000 NATO soldiers. The extensive winter exercise aimed to
prepare the armed forces for war-like situations.
During the exercise, the King and Crown Prince were briefed on the winter exercises in the north. In a historic first, they received the information in two different locations. Crown Prince Haakon received a briefing about the exercise from the “Joint Viking” management at Bardufoss military airport, while King Harald received the same information from the defence staff at Akershus Fortress in Oslo.
In another first, the Norwegian monarch participated in a military exercise via video link from the Sitsen military camp. The aim of the meeting was to inform the Royal Family about the exercises taking place with NATO, which aligns with the King's role as the Supreme Commander and General of the Armed Forces, who must be notified in the event of a war.
The half-hour exercise was designed to simulate a real war situation as closely as possible. Lieutenant General Yngve Odlo, the leader of the “Joint Viking” exercise, led the meeting between the defence leadership and the Royal House. During the meeting, Crown Prince Haakon was updated about the Norwegian-led NATO exercises, including the “Joint Viking” land exercise and the British-led exercise “Joint Warrior.”
The maritime exercises provided an excellent opportunity for the Navy, Army, and Air Defence to work together in northern Norway. A total of 20,000 soldiers from eight allied NATO countries participated in the exercises.
As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, King Harald has a long tradition of following the major NATO exercises hosted by Norway. However, he did not participate last year, and Crown Prince Haakon visited the large Cold Response exercise on behalf of the Royal Family.
The participation of the Norwegian Royal Family in the NATO exercises highlights the country's commitment to its defence and preparedness for any eventuality. The exercises provide an opportunity for the Norwegian armed forces to train alongside their NATO allies and develop joint military capabilities, which are crucial in today's complex security environment. Photo by Jan Haug, Wikimedia commons.