The Norwegian Armed Forces have decided to end NATO exercise Cold Response. The closure will be conducted in a “controlled matter”.

Cold Response is a Norwegian-led exercise in which NATO-allies and partner nations are invited to participate. More than 15,000 soldiers from the USA, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden are participating in the exercise.

The 15,000 international troops are now likely to return home. The exercise involved 2,000 UK personnel.

The main aim of Exercise Cold Response is to test NATO members ability to conduct multinational joint exercises with a high-intensity combat scenario in demanding winter conditions. Another important aspect of the exercise is to train amphibious capabilities. This means practicing attacking a target on land from ships with the assistance from amphibious assault ships and helicopters.

The decision was made by the chief of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters in cooperation with the leadership of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The exercise will be ended due to the ongoing coronavirus situation in Norway. The decision has been made in close cooperation with Norwegian civilian health authorities.

Lieutenant General, Rune Jakobsen, chief of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters, spoke of the decision Wednesday afternoon.

“The coronavirus is now out of control in the Norwegian society and that is a new situation to us. Because of this, we have decided to start a controlled closure of the exercise”, Jakobsen says.

More on this will follow.