Sweden Plans Aurora 26 Military Drills

Tank crews from the 72nd Mechanized Battalion from P7 at Rinkaby firing range during the defense force Exercise Aurora 23 | Photo: Swedish Armed Forces

The Swedish Armed Forces will conduct Aurora 26, its largest national military exercise of the year, from 27 April to 13 May. The exercise will take place across southern and central Sweden, on the island of Gotland, and in the Baltic Sea region.

Aurora 26 will involve more than 16,000 personnel, including soldiers, sailors, and officers from the Swedish Armed Forces. Around 1,500 troops from allied nations will also participate, alongside forces from 11 countries and Ukraine. The exercise will focus on coordinating operations across land, sea, and air domains.

The drills will include the reception and integration of allied reinforcements. These activities are intended to rehearse plans for moving personnel and equipment into the region, particularly along NATO’s eastern flank and within the Baltic Sea area.

Following Sweden’s accession to NATO, the country’s armed forces have taken on responsibilities linked to collective defence. Aurora 26 is intended to test operational defence plans developed under this framework and to prepare for joint missions with allied forces.

All branches of the Swedish military, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Home Guard, will take part in the exercise. The activities are designed to improve coordination between participating forces and ensure they can operate together effectively.

Sweden’s location in northern Europe provides access routes for allied reinforcements. The exercise will also test the movement of troops and equipment across the country to support NATO defence planning.