Arctic Challenge 2023: NATO embarks on first major exercise after Finland's inclusion |Oneindia News

NATO countries have kicked off Arctic military exercise named ‘Arctic Challenge 2023’ with a pledge to defend their newest member, Finland, which is hosting its first joint training since becoming part of the NATO in April.

Nearly 1,000 allied forces from Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States - as well as NATO applicant Sweden - have joined approximately 6,500 Finnish troops and some 1,000 vehicles for exercises this week, which mark Finland’s biggest modern-time land-force drill above the Arctic Circle.

While this is not a NATO event, the alliance will be participating along with 14 different countries.

The Arctic Challenge exercise was launched in 2013 and is held every second year.

The ACE is part of the NORDEFCO cooperation between Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

This major Nordic exercise started as a collaboration launched in 2008 called Cross Border Training.

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