Aurora 17
{{short description|Military exercise}}
File:Aurora 17, Gärdet, 2017i.jpg]]
Aurora 17 was a military exercise that took place in Sweden during a three-week period, from 11 through 29 September 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/activities/exercises/aurora-17/|title=Aurora 17|website=Swedish Armed Forces|access-date=7 August 2017}} Its main focus was the defence of Gotland. It was Sweden’s biggest military exercise in 23 years and involved troops from the United States and some other NATO countries.{{cite news|title=As Russia threatens, Sweden ponders joining NATO|url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21729554-vladimir-putins-mock-attacks-scandinavia-could-make-swedes-end-200-years-neutrality|work=The Economist|date=21 September 2017}} Major general Bengt Andersson served as its exercise director.{{cite journal |url=https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/6-aktuellt/forsvarets-forum/2017/forum_1704_webb_lowres.pdf |journal=Försvarets forum: personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten |title=I huvudet på en övningsledare |first=Henrik |last=Rådmark |year=2017 |publisher=Försvarets forum |number=4 |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{LIBRIS|4109339}} |page=16}}
Events and opinions
Around 21,150{{Cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/kritiken-mot-ovningen-angriparen-har-stora-likheter-med-ryssland/|title=Kritiken mot övningen – angriparen har stora likheter med Ryssland - DN.SE|date=2017-09-07|work=Dagens Nyheter|access-date=2017-09-07|language=sv-se}} total personnel from all branches of the Swedish Armed Forces, as well as troops from foreign nations participated. One fourth of them consisted of Home Guardsmen. Civilian authorities, such as police and social services also participated. Finland (Which was not a NATO member at the time) and several NATO nations took part in the exercise. The participating nations included France, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Germany, and the United States. The designated exercise area covered most of Sweden, but was focused on the Mälaren Valley, Stockholm, Gotland and Gothenburg.
The exercise is expected to cost the Swedish government 583 million Swedish kronor (approx. $65.6 million USD).{{Cite news|url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/usa-bjuds-in-att-ova-med-sitt-luftvarn-i-sverige|title=USA:s luftvärn och stridsvagnar bjuds in att öva i Sverige|last=Nyheter|first=SVT|work=SVT Nyheter|access-date=2017-08-07|language=sv}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/1-000-amerikanska-militarer-till-gotland/|title=1 000 amerikanska militärer till Gotland - DN.SE|date=2017-04-20|work=Dagens Nyheter|access-date=2017-08-07|language=sv-se}} The Economist put the cost at $73 million.{{cite news|author=A.S.|title=Why Swedish troops just finished their biggest war games in 23 years|url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/10/economist-explains|work=The Economist|date=1 October 2017}}
On 13 September 2017, Sweden′s defence minister Peter Hultqvist said, "The exercise sends an important signal about our security policy. It raises the deterrent threshold against different types of incidents.”[http://www.janes.com/article/74115/exercise-aurora-17-marks-strategic-change-in-sweden-s-military-stance Exercise ‘Aurora 17’ marks strategic change in Sweden’s military stance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001213426/http://www.janes.com/article/74115/exercise-aurora-17-marks-strategic-change-in-sweden-s-military-stance |date=2017-10-01 }} IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, 15 September 2017. He cited the “deterioration of the security situation in Europe” as the reason for the exercise. The Economist claimed the exercise was aimed at sending a signal to Russia.
See also
- Zapad 2017 exercise within a similar time frame
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat|Aurora 17}}
- [http://www.regeringen.se/4a5570/globalassets/regeringen/dokument/forsvarsdepartementet/regeringsbeslut/regeringsbeslut-7-2015_06_25-inriktning-for-forsvarsmaktens-verksamhet-for-aren-2016-till-och-med-2020.pdf/ Regeringsbeslut - Inriktning för Försvarsmaktens verksamhet för åren 2016 till och med 2020]
- [http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/activities/exercises/aurora-17/ Swedish Armed Forces - Aurora 17]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190112035830/http://stoppaaurora.se/ Stop Aurora (in Swedish)]
- [https://www.aldrimer.no/us-marines-plan-to-protect-sweden-via-norway/ U.S. Marines plan to protect Sweden via Norway | AldriMer.no]
Category:Military exercises and wargames
Category:Military exercises involving the United States