With the course set for southern Finland, the frigates Absalon and Niels Juel sailed out on November 22 to take part in the exercise Freezing Winds 24.
The exercise which was initiated it. 18 November, is held under the leadership of the Finnish Navy and aims to strengthen the ability of both Finland and the allied countries to protect the area around the Baltic Sea. Therefore, a large number of countries bordering the Baltic Sea are also participating in the exercise – including Denmark.
“We are participating primarily for two reasons,” says the ship’s commander for Absalon, Commander Captain Frank Erland Jensen.
“Firstly, we do it to train with our NATO partners, and secondly, it gives us the opportunity to show our presence in the Baltic Sea.”
However, the two frigates are not the only contribution of the Danish Armed Forces to the exercise. NATO’s standing naval force, Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, is also participating under Danish leadership. The leadership is during the exercise aboard the Norwegian logistics vessel Maud, a naval tanker that can supply other ships with both fuel and necessary supplies en route.
Freezing Winds is a recurring exercise, and at this year’s edition, the Danish frigates must act as OPFOR (Opposing Force). In other words, Absalon and Niels Juel must engage the enemy in a long series of surface and underwater exercises and attack both Finnish and Swedish forces.
These exercises give the Danish forces a unique opportunity to train various procedures under the extreme weather conditions that Finland has to offer in the autumn. Ahead, the Danish crews are expecting warnings of both stormy weather, snow, hail, waves of up to 4.5 meters and temperatures expected to reach minus degrees. It all helps to strengthen the interoperability of both Denmark and the other countries.
Freezing Winds will run until November 29, when the exercise is expected to end.