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THE JOINT EXPEDITIONARY FORCE NEWSLETTER
from the Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ) in London
12 September 2023
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Standing Joint Force Commander Maj Gen Jim Morris CB DSO RM | |
Message from the Standing Joint Force Commander Maj Gen Jim Morris CB DSO RM
I am delighted to introduce the first Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Newsletter produced by the Standing Joint Force Headquarters in Northwood London, which operates as the JEF Headquarters on behalf of the 10 participant nations.
The aim of this newsletter is to highlight the operations and activities of the JEF. The JEF journey continues to gain momentum after a highly successful deployment to Iceland in June, where we collaboratively sought to progress intelligence cooperation, contingency planning, participated in a security forum, as well as exploring greater opportunities for JEF interoperability that complements NATO goals and enhances regional security.
The development of the JEF operating framework over the last year has been an important development, recently gaining both political and senior military support across the JEF community and in NATO. We now seek to consolidate this work with our JEF and NATO partners, so it can provide the spine of our future operating programme. To this end, the alignment of key activities in 2024 and 2025, as vehicles to evaluate and consolidate our plans, will be important next year.
As JEF planning continues, we will redouble our efforts to coordinate with NATO and other security partners such as EUCOM which is an important activity for Q4 2023. Throughout, we will look to improve our influence activity to broaden and deepen the understanding of the JEF and its intentions both internally within JEF Participant Nations and externally in the broader Euro-Atlantic region and with NATO.
We’ll keep you appraised of developments through regular publications of this Newsletter.
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New COS at the SJFHQ
Brigadier Nick Wight-Boycott OBE took over as Chief of Staff at the SJFHQ in August 2023. Before that, he was a member of the Royal College of Defence Studies and served for two years as a Deputy Director of Operations in the UK's three star Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood. Professional background is as an Infantry Officer and has served on multiple operational tours across the globe.
Brig Wight-Boycott succeeded Brig Jo Butterfill.
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Brig Nick Wight-Boycott OBE | |
UK Carrier Strike Group is sailing to Norway and the North Sea to work with NATO and JEF partners | An SJFHQ delegation attends the NATO Communicator's Conference in Paris this week | |
Upcoming JEF events and activities
The JEF is looking at an exciting autumn ahead, with a number of activities taking place under the JEF framework.
The UK's Carrier Strike Group is heading to Norway and the North Sea, to work with NATO and JEF Partners.
Exercises NAMEJS in Latvia and ENGINEER THUNDER in Lithuania are proving key national defence and co-operation in September.
The SJFHQ will be sending a delegation to the NATO Communicator's Conference in Paris 11-14 September.
JEF Chiefs of Defence from all PNs will meet on 15 September. Among other upcoming JEF meetings are 2* POL/MIL meeting in November, a future planning meeting, a JEF Leaders Summit and a Defence Minister´s meeting.
The SJFHQ will conduct a STRATCOM Workshop in November where PAOs and Communications Specialists from all PNs will meet face to face to discuss JEF in the Information Environment.
A new JEF website is in the making, and is expected to be launched by the end of this year.
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Ex Joutsen Strike in Finland in July
The RAF Typhoon FGR4 jets, based at Amari Airbase in Estonia to conduct NATO Baltic Air Policing, forward-deployed to Tampere Airbase in Finland for Exercise Joutsen Strike 24-27 July. The jets struck targets using precision guided Paveway IV bombs.
Exercise Joutsen Strike simulated the kind of response that JEF could find itself undertaking; allowing the RAF and their Finnish counterparts to test their planning skills whilst offering aircrews and ground teams a chance to share best practice and refine processes.
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Academics and representatives from Think Tanks and goverment departments at the JEF Forum | |
JEF Forum in London
The SJFHQ hosted a JEF Forum in London in July for Think Tanks, academics and goverment departments, to broaden their understanding of the role of the Joint Expeditionary Force among those audiences and receive feedback from specialists. Maj Gen Jim Morris led some excellent discussions which gave a greater understanding of the JEF framework.
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Successful deployment to Iceland
"We have been expanding and deepening collaboration with our neighbouring countries on security and defence, and the JEF cooperation is an integral part of that. In this way, we can better ensure a rapid and flexible response in a potential crisis,"
said Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the SJFHQ deployment to Iceland.
The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) completed a month-long redeployment of its permanent headquarters from London to Iceland in June, for the first time in its history, by invitation from the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, demonstrating its operational capability.
The deployment, named ASGARD 23, saw more than 150 personnel, complete with all their workstations, supporting equipment and facilities moved from the UK’s Joint Headquarters in London, to Keflavik Airbase. The move was designed to demonstrate and test the JEF’s ability to operate its headquarters from another partner nation, developing the response to and rehearsing for a serious threat to European Security.
During their time in Iceland, military personnel from all ten nations worked on security of infrastructure, intelligence sharing, and crisis protocols as well as how the multinational organisation could respond to a range of scenarios.
The Icelandic MFA and the British Embassy in Reykjavik co-hosted a Security Forum on Subsea Critical National Infrastructure, with civilian experts, diplomats and military personnel from all JEF Participant Nations, as well as Ireland and NATO. The forum was organised following a decision made by the JEF Defence Ministers earlier in June, to increase collaboration on response to threats to undersea infrastructure and determine how to support any NATO response to security challenges in the domain.
Read the press release issued by the UK Government on the deployment to Iceland
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Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir Iceland´s Minister for Foreign Affairs | Personnel from the JEF deployment pictured in Iceland | The Sub Sea CNI Security Forum was co-hosted by the Icelandic MFA and the British Embassy in Reykjavik. | |
HMA Dr Bryony Mathew and Maj Gen Jim Morris | Ambassadors in Reykjavik learned about the JEF | |
His Majesty's Ambassador's reception
His Majesty's Ambassador to Iceland Dr Bryony Mathew welcomed Maj Gen Jim Morris, Standing Joint Force Commander to her Residence in Reykjavik on 7 June 2023 where JEF and NATO Ambassadors in Reykjavik learned about the JEF and how Iceland hosted a JEF 2* Operational HQ deployment.
Ms Brynja Huld Oskarsdottir specialist from the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs gave a brief on the Icelandic Security Forum.
"Thank you to Standing Joint Force Commander Maj Gen Jim Morris and Brynja Huld from the Icelandic MFA for briefing the diplomatic corps on this important deployment"
said HMA Dr Bryony Mathew on the occasion.
Maj Gen Jim Morris also briefed Iceland´s Foreign Affairs Committee at Althingi, the Icelandic Parliament.
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JEF Ministers met in Amsterdam in June
Defence Ministers from Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) partner nations met in Amsterdam on 13 June to discuss the current situation in Ukraine and explore how the JEF can respond to, and further mitigate, the security threats to our nations, including hybrid challenges.
The JEF Ministers issued a joint statement, please click here to view the full text.
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JEF Ministers in Amsterdam | |
UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon alongside Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist and Finnish Defence Minister Jussi Niinisto | The President of Finland Mr Sauli Niinistö visited NATO in relation to Finland joining NATO | |
The making of history - Finland and Sweden
Sweden & Finland joined the JEF on 30 June 2017. During the signing event in Stockholm, the UK Defence Secretary’s Swedish & Finnish counterparts underlined their commitment to working with the other JEF participant nations on cooperative European security and managing crises.
At their meeting in Oslo on 15 June 2022, all JEF Defence Ministers strongly welcomed Finland’s and Sweden’s applications for NATO membership, following Russia's illegal invasion in Ukraine. Then Finland made history by joining NATO on 4 April 2023, making Sweden the only non-NATO MS of all ten JEF Participant Nations.
At the NATO Vilnius Summit on 11-12 July, Sweden's path to NATO accession was set, as well as future accession of Ukraine.
In a UK-Sweden Joint Leaders Statement on the importance of the bilateral relationship between the two nations issued on 19 June, the Prime Ministers recognised the continued importance of the JEF and it's evolving role in strengthening the security of Northern Europe.
Read the Swedish Prime Minister's Statement here
Read the UK's Prime Minister's Statement here
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Update from the Operation Co-ordination Cell | |
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The JEF Operation Co-ordination Cell (OCC) is operated within the Standing Joint Force Headquarters in London and coordinates JEF exercises and activities taking place in the JEF Operational Area.
The OCC was established in January 2022, weeks before Russia´s invasion to Ukraine and has been busy coordinating activities in cooperation with other JEF Participant Nations and global Allies.
Below is a list of JEF activities that have taken place in the first half of 2023 in the Arctic, North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea Region:
Arctic Warfare Training (Jan 23). Sweden hosted cold weather training that was attended by UK Rangers.
Amphibious Planning Ex (Feb 23). UK planners joined Sweden for an Amphibious Assault planning exercise.
Maritime Patrol (Feb 23). Finland, Estonia and Latvia conducted a Maritime Patrol in the Baltic Sea.
Exercise FURIOUS WOLF (Feb 23). JEF nations took part in the Latvia land exercise.
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Exercise SNOWMAN (Feb/Mar 23). Finland conducted a winter maritime navigation exercise in the Baltic Sea. Attended by observers from Latvia.
Exercise GASTRACK (Feb/Mar 23). UK forces conducted Tactical Landing Zone training in Estonia.
Exercise Joint Warrior (Mar 23). Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark took part in this UK led annual maritime exercise.
Exercise COBRA WARRIOR (Mar 23). Finland and Latvia deployed to the UK as part of this Air exercise.
Exercise JOINT VIKING (Mar 23). The UK and the Netherlands joined Norway for this annual national defence exercise.
Op ANGLERFISH (Mar/Apr 23). In response to a request from Estonia, HMS MERSEY conducted a maritime patrol in the Baltic Sea operating with Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden.
Ex TAMBERSHIELD (Apr 23). The UK, Norway and Sweden took part in this Maritime and Aviation Exercise.
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Ex AURORA (Apr 23). The UK, Finland and SWE operated together to provide a JEF demonstration of an amphibious assault and securing of critical national infrastructure as part of Sweden’s national exercise.
Ex ARROW (Apr/May 23). The UK, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia took part in Finland’s international Armoured Exercise.
Ex LIGHTNING STRIKE (May 23). The UK and Estonia took part in Finland’s Artillery exercise.
Ex NORTHERN FOREST (May 23). The UK and Finland operated together in this land-based exercise.
ARCTIC CHALLENGE (May/June 23). SWE, UK, Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands took part in this NORDEFCO air exercise.
SNIPERFEST (June 23). The UK took part in Lithuania’s annual sniper competition.
Ex TEMPEST STRIKE (June 23). The UK and Norway operated together in an air integration exercise.
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UK's Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin | Finland's Chief of Defence General Timo Kivinen | |
JEF Chiefs of Defence met in Helsinki on 12 April
The ten Chiefs of Defence from the JEF Participant Nations met in Helsinki 12 April, hosted by Finland’s Chiefs of Defence, General Timo Kivinen.
The Chiefs of Defence discussed Baltic Sea and the High North security, the future development of the joint force and the groups’ commitment to wider regional stability.
UK Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:
"The past year has demonstrated that the security of Europe can never be taken for granted, but it was also the year when the Joint Expeditionary Force came of age. While President Putin has sought to divide, this ten nation partnership is another example of just how strong and united we have become.
It was therefore excellent to meet with my counterparts in Helsinki for the first time since Finland joined NATO. We discussed how the JEF can continue to complement NATO through its focus on the security of the North Atlantic, High North and Baltic Sea, and we considered how we may better coordinate future exercises and operations."
Finland Chief of Defence General Timo Kivinen said:
"JEF’s agile way of planning and operating enhances security in Northern Europe. JEF’s combined capacity and capability is a clear sign of how we stand together, providing reassurance to our populations and deterrence to any would-be adversaries."
The JEF Defence Ministers are expected to meet in Amsterdam, Netherlands on 12-14 June 2023.
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About the JEF
The Joint Expeditionary Force was formally launched as a NATO initiative at the September 2014 Wales Summit, under the then new “Framework Nations Concept”.
The JEF is a framework of ten like-minded Northern European nations focused on mutual support and cooperation. By collaborating, training, and operating together, JEF enhances collective capability and develops interoperability. In turn, through persistent activity and signature exercises, JEF demonstrates its readiness to act as a collective and whilst being prepared to support NATO as the ultimate security guarantor for the region.
The JEF Participant Nations are: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK which is the Framework Nation.
Nine of the JEF Participant Nations are also members of NATO, with Finland as the most recent Member State. Sweden's path to joining NATO was established at the NATO Vilnius Summit on 11-12 July 2023.
All JEF Participant Nations have a Liaison Officer embedded into the Standing Joint Force Headquarters in Northwood, London.
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The Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ) in London operates the Joint Expeditionary Force, as UK is the framework nation. | |
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