Troops Invade Norway - Battle Griffin

The largest exercise in Norway in 2005 is about to start today. There are 14 000 participants from 15 nations. The main objective is to exercise towards the Deployed Forces Concept.



D-Day For Battle Griffin Today

Today is D-day for the military exercise "Battle Griffin". 50 naval vessels are in position by the coast of Norway right now. With dutch amphibious vessels they will conduct an amphibious landing and "invade" a city. More than 14.000 soldiers from 15 different nations are going to be part of this "invasion". The inhabitants of this city are not going to be friendly against the "invaders". The situation is going to be more and more critical and will eventually turn into a big "war". They will simulate actions of etnic clensing and civil war, a divided civil population, sabotage actions and aggressive guerilla warfare. On saturday they will evacuate 150 people from an "embassy" using choppers and naval vessels. In "Battle Griffin" there are soldiers from Sweden, Finland, Germany, Italy and France among others. Also 1200 US marines will be there. Most of the action will take place in populated areas, towns and villages. A force of as many as 1500 civilian roleplayers will act as local population in the scenario.



Related sources: (in english)

Marine Corps News: Marines arrive in Norway for Exercise Battle Griffin
Marine Corps News: Winter conditions in Norway test MAGTF-25 driving skills
Forsvarsnett: Battle Griffin
Forsvarsnett: Germans arrived Norway



They might jam the GPS. GPS might suddenly and without warning be turned off or show wrong locations. This might cause some trouble to ships using GPS. The "Don't trust the GPS" warning is valid from today and 7 days ahead. Swedish troops in Norway is a rare sight. They're not in NATO...

[edit on 2006/4/25 by Hellmutt]

Two french soldiers had to be rescued. They were cold and called the HQ for help. A rescue-chopper picked them up. Sissy "soldiers". Ok, it was close to minus 40 degrees celsius many places in Norway but still.

A car crashed with a Leopard tank. They stopped the car when they saw that the road was too narrow. The tank didn´t stop and just drove over one side of the car. Two people had to be taken to the hospital but survived. They describe it as a miracle as the car was crushed. A woman crashed into another tank and was taken to hospital. Some military vehicles almost crashed with a train on a railcrossing. Lots of action these days...

Wow, this looks like a cool operation. I'm glad some Europeans are still concerned with having an effective military.

The U.S. Marine Corps site is working now.

I was just thinking...I wonder if this some kind of response to recent Russian training exercises? Who else would NATO fight in such in an environment?

Unlike other previous multinational exercises in Norway, this is not a NATO operation...

OK, this is not a full or official NATO operation but appears to be a subset of NATO member states including several European nations and the United States. I think my observation/question still stands.

Very cool stuff. Always cool to see training ops like this.

Wait, if they invaded and hostile forces are in the cities they are entering - who are playing the the enemy forces? And what kind of rounds are they using? Blanks?

-wD

Maybe it´s the Sami Liberation Front?

I wonder if any terrorists will exploit this situation somehow...

A norwegian article I came across say there are 3000 litres of Methanol "somewhere in Norway" and they don´t know where it is. I hope nobody gets poisoned. These troops are thirsty, I guess...

[edit on 2005/3/2 by Hellmutt]

Here is a picture of the car which got crushed by a Leopard tank. Note that the driver's side is totally damaged. The 57 year old driver and his wife survived by a miracle. They are investigating this incident.


source (in norwegian...)



[edit on 2007/4/8 by Hellmutt]

If I ever get such a nice car, I'll remember to not take it out in the street during military exercises! Do you know which country's forces did this?

The guy was in the car when the tank went over it? WTF I thought that only happened in Iraq (got a video of it).

Looks to me like they are practicing to invade Canada! Similar terrain! Maybe they want to free Canadians from the Liberal dictatorship that has enslaved conservative canuks.

Or they just want to practice thier military.............
Cool pics, is there a british involvement?
We always play war games with norway....

I was thinking the same thing! People here have talked of Denmark and the U.S. going into Canadian waters...maybe this is a joint Scandinavian-American exercise in prelude to a takeover of Canada!

Yes, there is...

Participating nations :

– Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, United Kingdom and USA

Yes. It's a conspiracy!

The excercise is actually a prolog to the New Viking World Order!
The plan (This is very hush-hush) is that Europe has agreed to attack with the US in Canada. But while the US messes around Way Up North, the United European Military Forces Pushes through, downwards and annect tha United States of North America.
Since the Canadian Authorities already concede to this plan, they will gladly upheld resistance against the US Forces, until The US Government Flag their whites...

Then, in the Great Spirit of Victory, the Canadian-European Community can deport the republican votees of the US into the old, but still functional Russian Gulags, for a symbolic trade-agreement fee.

Wow and I thought Denmark was our friend.

I guess all that celebrating the 4th of July was just a trick to get us!

Recalibrating nuclear missiles to target Copenhagen now...

It looks to me that the Mercedes is very nicely crafted.
Regard getting hit/run over by a 32 tonne heavy Leopard A1, it actually looks as if the suspension still works. -Although slightly bend, perhaps. To bad we cant see it's wrecked side. It woud be fun to see if the tires are still on!

The Germans can still make panzer, I see!