Nearly 700 Marines just hit the beaches in Norway, storming the Arctic country’s coastline by sea and air.

And about 500 miles north of that, more Marines are honing their close-air support skills.

The demonstrated amphibious and air assault landings by the Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in Alvund, Norway, are part of Trident Juncture, NATO’s largest exercise in over a decade. This year’s scenario includes a sudden attack against the Scandinavian country by a mock aggressor, prompting a NATO response.

Hitting Norway’s shores were Landing Craft Air Cushion ships carrying Marines and tactical vehicles, while CH-53s carried out an air assault.

In total, nearly 700 Marines, 12 Amphibious Assault Vehicles, six Light Armored Vehicles and 21 Humvees landed on the beaches of Europe’s high-north in a demonstration of NATO and the Corps’ ability to rapidly project power in the Arctic country should a conflict arise.

The Marines carrying out the landing are part of the 24th MEU embarked aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima. That ship is also carrying the British Royal Marines 45 Commando outfit.

Though the British commandos did not take part in the recent amphibious landing, they are slated to carry out a raid during Trident Juncture, according to Capt. Clayton Groover, a Marine spokesman.

Nearly 500 miles north of the landing, another group of Marines with Marine Rotational Force–Europe, who are training with Norwegian forces, are honing close-air support skills in an exercise dubbed Northern Screen in Setermoen, Norway.

That exercise is helping Marines to work through issues that can arise with calling in airstrikes and medical evacuations in extreme cold weather environments.

Nearly 50,000 troops are participating in NATO’s Trident Juncture exercise.

About Shawn Snow

Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.

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