U.S. Marines with Marine Air Controls Squadron 2 operate an AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system during exercise Formidable Shield 25 in Andoya, Norway, April 30, 2025. Formidable Shield 25 is a U.S. Navy live-fire and integrated air and missile defense exercise using NATO command and control reporting structures. Allied nations practiced, demonstrated, and assessed their ability to share common tactical pictures, share situational awareness, conduct NATO-level mission planning and engagement coordination, and exercise force-level pre-planned responses. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Anakin Smith)
U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 22, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and port workers load equipment onto medium replacement tactical vehicles for use during Swift Response 25 in Narvik, Norway, April 29, 2025. The Marine Corps is providing direct combat service support to the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division to enable sustainment of multi-domain operations. Swift Response 25 is part of the DEFENDER 25 series and allows the rehearsal, deployment, employment, and integration of U.S. forces to focus on the expansion of critical capabilities on the battlefield in the High North and Baltics. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Franco Lewis)
Setermoen, Norway – U.S. Marines are no strangers to challenging environments, but the transition from the warm, sunny beaches of North Carolina to the icy, rugged terrain of Norway marked a unique test of their adaptability.
Traveling 4,144 miles from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Marines and Sailors from 2d Marine Division and 2nd Marine Logistics Group journeyed to Setermoen, Norway, to participate in Exercise Joint Viking 25, a Norwegian military exercise designed to enhance Arctic cold-weather training and foster military-to-military cooperation.
“Coming straight from Camp Lejeune to Norway, you’re immediately hit by the cold, the snow, and the wind. It’s a completely different environment,” said U.S. Marine...
U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force-Europe (MRF-E) prepared to deploy to Finland and integrate with the Finnish Defense Force for exercise Freezing Winds 24 by completing integrated training Oct. 15 – Nov. 28, 2024.
