U.S. NAVY JOINS ARCTIC SPECIALIST 2024 IN NORWAY
08 February 2024
RASMUND, Norway -- Sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit (MU) Eight, attached to Commander Task Force (CTF) 68 at Naval Station Rota, Spain, began the annual Norway-hosted exercise Arctic Specialist 2024 in Ramsund, Norway, Feb. 5, 2024.
Arctic Specialist is an annual multinational EOD and mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise aimed to provide training, exercise and development of land and maritime EOD Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) at the squad and team level in a cold-weather environment. This exercise is designed to enhance capability and interoperability among participating nations. Forces from Denmark will also participate in Arctic Specialist.
EODMU Eight’s MCM Company Commander Lt. Daniel Haines said, “We rely on our experts in the High North to further expand our operations into the Arctic. Exercises like Arctic Specialist allow us to continue improving our collective security by conducting increasingly complex and high-end missions with our Allies.”
During the 11-day exercise, EOD and MCM forces will share TTPS for countering regional and global security threats.
CTF-68 commands all naval expeditionary forces in the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility in direct support of U.S. Naval Forces Europe -Africa, and U.S. 6th Fleet.
U.S. 6th Fleet conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and inter-agency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.