Several German warships are due to arrive in the northern Norwegian port of Harstad on Friday for a multinational exercise aimed at strengthening cooperation at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
Around 2,500 soldiers from Norway, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany are participating in the exercise, according to a statement by the German Navy. Sweden and Lithuania are attending as observers.
Exercise Mjølner 2026, involving a total of eight ships, is under German command.
The German vessels include the frigates Sachsen-Anhalt and Hamburg as well as the Bonn support vessel, all of which set off from their home port of Wilhelmshaven, according to a Navy spokeswoman in the northern German city.
The corvettes Braunschweig and Erfurt are also taking part in the exercise.
The current security situation has raised the importance of close cooperation between European and NATO partners, the German Navy said.
“In particular, the northern flank represents a strategically important area whose protection and surveillance must be ensured through close cooperation,” the statement said.
Training is to take place continuously at sea and on land for several days and nights under realistic operational conditions.
“The aim is to consolidate procedures under time pressure, further strengthen cooperation between partners and ensure operational capability even under high levels of stress,” the statement added.