SARDINIA, Italy – 350 Norwegian military personnel began arriving in Sardinia, Italy on Apr. 28, 2023 to participate in exercise Noble Jump 23.
Most Norwegians, 280 of them, are with the Telemark Battalion, a mechanised infantry battalion and part of Brigade North, stationed in Rena, Norway. During the exercise, the battalion will hone their skills in offensive operations with the use of tanks, armoured personnel carriers, armoured mortars, snipers, mechanised infantry as well as combat service and support elements.
Exercise Noble Jump will test our ability to strategically move a battlegroup from Norway to another place in the world
“Exercise Noble Jump will test our ability to strategically move a battlegroup from Norway to another place in the world while analysing our capability to integrate into a live fire exercise with tanks and mechanised infantry supported by NATO artillery,” said Deputy Commander VJFT Brigade, Colonel Ketil Wee Pettersen.
The C-17 "Globemaster III" of the Strategic Airlift Wing's heavy airlift squadron lands at Decimomannu military airfield and unloads its cargo for exercise Noble Jump 23 in Sardinia. Norwegian soldiers from VJTF 23 were also onboard. - NATO photo by corporal (OR-4) Martin Glinker, DEU-A
Immediately after the landing of the C-17 "Globemaster III" at the Italian airfield Decimomannu, the equipment brought along is checked and loaded by Norwegian soldiers for exercise Noble Jump 23. - NATO photo by corporal (OR-4) Martin Glinker, DEU-A
Norway’s participation in exercise Noble Jump is no small feat. Some Norwegian military hardware came from the north of the country by ship to the Port of Drammen in the south while other elements were transported by road and rail from Rena to the same port. The equipment was then loaded onto a ship which left Norway on Apr. 21 and arrived in Cagliari, Sardinia on Apr. 30.
Military personnel, part of the advance party, and vehicles meantime arrived via a Globemaster on Apr. 28 and 29. The main body of soldiers will arrive by plane on May 5.
Exercise Noble Jump 2023 will demonstrate the capability and integration of NATO forces as a contribution to NATO's deterrence and defence posture. The exercise will train NATO Response Force's Very High Readiness Brigade.
Following the exercise, the Norwegians will participate in Italian led exercise Joint Stars before returning to Norway at the end of May.