The Joint Expeditionary Force, its current and future relevance for mutual defence in northern Europe and the North Atlantic

The Joint Expeditionary Force, its current and future relevance for mutual defence in northern Europe and the North Atlantic

18 Jul 23
Posted by: Maj Gen Jim Morris RM
8 minutes, 37 seconds read
Message from the Editor

Major General Jim Morris RM is Standing Joint Force Commander (SJFC). Among his responsibilities is command of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Headquarters, for which the UK is the NATO-nominated framework nation. In this article he considers some of the security challenges faced in the Arctic High North and the Baltic regions and the importance of the JEF as a regional security framework for delivering security. A 10 minute read.

In common with many junior Royal Marines officers of my era, I cut my teeth on amphibious exercises in Norway at a time when the Cold War was coming to a head and the military threat from the Soviet Union loomed large. Much has changed since then: the Soviet Union no longer exists; NATO has expanded and reinforced its northern flank, not least through the accession of the Baltic states and subsequently Finland; and our focus has switched globally. However, we seem to be entering a period, familiar to many, in which a reinvigorated and muscular Russia is demonstrating a willingness to step beyo…

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