More than 26 000 soldiers participate in major Aurora 23 exercise this spring

Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters – 5 October 2022 kl: 12.29
Archived news

The Aurora 23 exercise will be conducted from 24 April to 11 May 2023. With more than 26 000 participating soldiers from the army, navy, air force, national home guard and military units from 14 other countries, this will be one of the largest exercise in Sweden in many years.

Military convoy on a bridge
Military convoy on a bridge
Aurora 23 will be the largest exercise in many years. Photo: Jimmy Croona/Swedish Armed Forces

The Swedish Armed Forces has changed focus from international operations to a national defence, and this will be quite evident during Aurora 23. The exercise will take place all over the country, however, primarily in south Sweden and in Gotland. Most combat moments will be carried out in the exercise fields and shooting ranges of the Swedish Armed Forces, but participating units will also be in other places in society.

"The purpose of Aurora 23 is to enhance the Swedish Armed Forces’ collected capability to counter an armed attack on Sweden, and also to exercise the entire chain of raised readiness to mobilisation to receive a third party for HNS, as well as a way to prepare us to be a member of Nato", says Lieutenant Colonel Henrik Larsson, head of exercise planning.