U.S. and Swedish Marines Conduct Maritime Exercise in Stockholm Archipelago
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U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe
A U.S. Marine with the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, provides security near a Combat Boat 90 during Exercise Archipelago Endeavor near Berga Naval Base, Sweden, Sept. 22, 2021. Exercise Archipelago Endeavor is a multi-domain, field training exercise that focuses on regional engagements by conducting partnered, limited-scale maritime raids, and military-to-military collaboration and strengthens operational capabilities and strategic cooperation between the U.S. Marine Corps and Swedish Armed Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Paul Ortiz)
Photo by: 1st Lt. Paul Ortiz
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U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe
U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jeffrey Kenney, left, commanding officer of 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, and Swedish Marine Lieutenant Col. Joakim Kindahl, deputy commander of the 1st Swedish Marine Regiment, observe a Combat Boat 90 land ashore during Exercise Archipelago Endeavor on Berga Naval Base, Sweden, Sept. 22, 2021. Exercise Archipelago Endeavor is a multi-domain, field training exercise that focuses on regional engagements by conducting partnered, limited-scale maritime raids, and military-to-military collaboration and strengthens operational capabilities and strategic cooperation between the U.S. Marine Corps and Swedish Armed Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Paul Ortiz)
The third iteration of Exercise Archipelago Endeavor, a bilateral, infantry and maneuver-centric exercise, continues Sept. 20 on Naval Base Berga in Sweden providing the venue to work side-by-side with partners enhancing the ability to work together in real-world operations.
The exercise focuses on the exchange of knowledge between U.S. and Swedish Marine units in the Stockholm Archipelago. U.S. Marines and Sailors from the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment (1/6), 2d Marine Division (2d MARDIV) are conducting the exercise alongside Swedish Marines from the 204th Rifle Company, 2nd Marine Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
Since the beginning of Archipelago Endeavor 2021, Marines from both nations have honed skills and processes associated with mission planning, sniper tradecraft, machine gun tactics, patrolling, amphibious raid tactics utilizing the combat boat 90 (CB-90), the employment of unmanned aerial surveillance systems, and the fusion of indirect fires in support of units maneuvering throughout a vastly dispersed littoral environment.
The Stockholm Archipelago is composed of nearly 30,000 wooded islands, islets, and crags, which present an ideal training environment for both Marine forces to practice seizure of key maritime terrain, conduct sea denial operations, and support sea control in a simulated contested area. The U.S. Marine Corps refers to this warfare concept as expeditionary advanced base operations (EABO).
The exercise’s culminating event will require efficient, simplified interoperability to be leveraged by both forces as they utilize CB-90 assault craft for raiding numerous small islands throughout the archipelago. Archipelago Endeavor 2021 ultimately increases the capabilities and lethality of both forces, while also strengthening a strategic partnership in the Baltic Sea.
For additional information, please contact 1st Lt. Paul Ortiz at paul.g.ortiz@usmc.mil or Marine Forces, Europe and Africa Communication Strategy and Operations at mfea_commstrat@usmc.mil.
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