US Army sends heavy equipment to Norwegian Arctic port of Narvik for transfer to Finland

The 227 meter long vehicle carrier Arc Integrity on the 24th of April made port call in the Narvik Harbour. On board was several hundred pieces of equipment that are to be applied in a series of NATO training operations in northern Europe.

The equipment belongs to the US Army 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division and will be applied in the allied exercise Immediate Response 2024 (IR24). The exercise includes allied training in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Czechia and Poland in the period between 21st of April – 31st of May, the Norwegian Armed Forces informs.

More than 24,000 troops are to participate, of them 10,000 from the US Army.

In Narvik, the equipment will be put on trains for transportation to Sweden and further to Finland.

The entry into the alliance of Sweden and Finland now opens up for smooth transportation of allied goods and personell across the Nordic borders.

Swedish Armed Forces ready to lead US troops through Sweden to Finland. Photo: Jens Åkerlund/Försvarsmakten

“As part of the IR24, Norway practices its role as transit country for allied troops that are heading to Sweden and Finland,” representatives of the Norwegian Armed Forces say.

As soon as the military transport moves across the border from Narvik to Sweden, the Swedish Armed Forces are ready to act.

“During the Immediate Response, American units will under guidance of the Swedish Armed Forces move from the border to Norway, through Norbotten and to Borden. Thereafter, the transport will proceed to Finland via Haparanda and Pello,” the Swedish Military informs.

The logistic operation is expected to last about a week.