On Tuesday, Crown Prince Haakon received a briefing about the exercise from the “Joint Viking” management at Bardufoss. At the same time, King Harald received the same information from the defense staff in Oslo. – This is a historic way of doing things. Both receive the same brief at two different locations, writes spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces, Vegard Finberg, in an SMS to news. His Majesty King Harald sat together with the Chief of the Defense Staff, Vice Admiral Elisabeth Natvig, in Oslo. The Crown Prince and the exercise management sat at Bardufoss. Photo: Håvard Strand / Forsvaret The castle also confirms that the meeting is historic. It is the first time that the king has taken part in an exercise on video. – Today the king received a briefing on the exercise from the chief of defense via link from Sitsen at Akershus fortress, while the crown prince is present in northern Norway, says communications manager Guri Ofstad Varpe. Important part of the exercise The aim of the meeting is for the royal family to be informed about the exercise. In the same way that the king, as the supreme commander and general of the armed forces, must be informed in the event of a war. The exercise must be as similar as possible to a real war situation. – It is very important and gratifying on the part of the Norwegian Armed Forces that the royal house prioritizes and participates in exercises under the auspices of the Norwegian Armed Forces, writes Finberg to news. The meeting lasted half an hour. The leaders of Joint Viking and Crown Prince Haakon had King Harald digitally present at the meeting. Photo: Torbjørn Kjosvold / Forsvaret At the meeting, the royal house was updated about the Norwegian-led NATO exercises. It is not just the “Joint Viking” land exercise that is taking place. So does the British-led exercise “Joint Warrior”. It is maritime, and here the navy and air defense exercise together. Both exercises are taking place in northern Norway. In this way, the various defense branches are trained together. A total of 20,000 soldiers from eight allied countries are involved. The king prioritizes participation It was the leader of the “Joint Viking” exercise, Lieutenant General Yngve Odlo, who chaired the meeting between the defense leadership and the royal house. Crown Prince Haakon meets exercise leader Yngve Odlo and defense chief Eirik Kristoffersen at Bardufoss Photo: Torbjørn Kjosvold / Forsvaret The king has a long tradition of following the major NATO exercises hosted by Norway. – The King as supreme commander of the Armed Forces is always looking for ways to contribute to winter exercises like this, says journalist Kristi Marie Skrede. She follows the royal family for news. Last year it was the crown prince who visited the large Cold Response exercise on behalf of the royal family. Then the king himself did not participate. Soldiers tell the defense chief, the army chief and the crown prince about their tasks in battle. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news Visiting soldiers The Crown Prince also visited Norwegian and American artillery soldiers at Setermoen camp. He met them as they prepared for battle. Commander in the Artillery Battalion Vemund Holm has been in the Armed Forces for four years. He laid out the plan and the mission out in the field for his team. – The exercise as a whole I think will be very good. The plan works well. You never know what will happen. But there will be action, says the team leader in the Artillery Battalion. Vemund Holm, Robin Helberg and Jens Munkerud in the Artillery Battalion are looking forward to getting out into the field. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news Robin Helberg and Jens Munkerud are two of the soldiers on the team. “Joint Viking” is the conscripts’ first international NATO exercise. – It will be fun to get out in the field. Every time we go out we get better and better. This is very good training, says Robin Helberg, gunner in the Artillery Battalion. – You are part of something bigger. I get a sense of nationalism from practicing with foreign troops. We can learn from them and they can learn from us. I think it’s cool, carriage driver Jens Munkerud. The Crown Prince greets soldiers who are getting ready for battle. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news The Crown Prince greets soldiers who are getting ready for battle Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news The Crown Prince greets soldiers who are getting ready for battle Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news The Crown Prince met soldiers in Setermoen camp.Soldiers get ready for battle. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news Soldiers prepare for battle. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news Soldiers prepare for battle. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news Soldiers get ready for battle. Soldiers get ready for the exercise Joint Viking. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news
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The Crown Prince visits “Joint Viking” in Troms – The King with from Oslo – news Troms and Finnmark
