Swedish and Finnish marines launched amphibious operations from a US Navy warship in the Norwegian Arctic as they were getting ready for exercise Nordic Response 2024, which is part of NATO’s major exercise Steadfast Defender 2024. Two CB-90 fast assault boats from the Swedish Navy’s Amphibious Corps transported a Finnish marine rifle company and a detachment of Swedish marines to the rocky shores of Tovik, near Harstad. They were based on USS Gunston Hall, a US Navy Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship capable of hosting boats and amphibious vehicles in the vast, floodable ‘well deck’, which makes up most of its interior.
A platoon of French marines and a handful of Italian marines were also based on USS Gunston Hall, and participated in the joint training with the Swedish and Finnish troops. During the exercise, USS Gunston Hall and its embarked Allied marine forces will operate in the fjords near Alta, as part of an amphibious task group led by the Italian Navy landing assault helicopter ship Giuseppe Garibaldi. Footage includes shots of Swedish CB-90s transporting troops to shore; Finnish marines conducting a patrol; Italian Navy helicopters sling-loading a Finnish snow mobile to a drop zone; joint training conducted by Swedish and Italian marines; and interviews with Swedish and Finnish officers.
