As Gotland is vital to securing the Baltic Sea, Swedish troops practise rapidly reinforcing the island during BALTOPS 22, a US-led maritime exercise.
Synopsis
The Swedish island of Gotland hosted defence drills as part of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 22, an annual United States-led maritime exercise.
Situated roughly 100 kilometres off the Swedish coast, Gotland has a commanding view of the Baltic Sea, which makes it strategically vital terrain for the Swedish Armed Forces. As part of BALTOPS 22, Swedish soldiers practised the rapid reinforcement and defence of the island against a simulated enemy, played this year by the United States Marine Corps’ 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU). Sweden is hosting this year’s exercise, which coincides with the 500th anniversary of the Swedish Navy.
BALTOPS 22 involves forces from 16 countries, with over 45 ships, more than 75 aircraft and 7,500 personnel participating. The exercise will end on 17 June 2022. The exercise is led by the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Italy, with Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), based in Portugal, implementing command and control of the exercise.
Footage includes shots of Swedish and US troops on Gotland during BALTOPS 22, and interviews with US Navy Rear Admiral John Menoni, Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Two and Swedish Army Colonel Magnus Frykvall, Commander, Gotland Regiment.
Transcript
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – VARIOUS SHOTS – SWEDISH C-130 HERCULES LANDS ON RURAL ROAD IN GOTLAND
(00:12) VARIOUS SHOTS – SWEDISH ARMY RANGERS DISEMBARK C-130
(00:24) VARIOUS SHOTS – SWEDISH ARMY RANGERS MARCH INTO FOREST
(00:53) WIDE SHOT – SWEDISH C-130 TAKES OFF OVER SWEDISH ARMY RANGERS
(01:02) MEDIUM SHOT – SWEDISH C-130 TAKING OFF
(01:09) CLOSE-UP – FLAG OF GOTLAND REGIMENT
(01:13) MEDIUM SHOT – FLAG OF GOTLAND REGIMENT FLYING ON SWEDISH CV-90 INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE
(01:16) MEDIUM SHOT – CV-90 ON THE MOVE
(01:21) VARIOUS SHOTS – SWEDISH ARMY STRIDSVAGN 122 MAIN BATTLE TANKS IN A FOREST
(01:39) MEDIUM SHOT – CV-90 ON THE MOVE
(01:44) WIDE SHOT – SWEDISH TANKS MOVE ACROSS A FIELD
(01:50) VARIOUS SHOTS – SWEDISH TANKS
(02:04) VARIOUS SHOTS – SWEDISH SOLDIERS PATROL THROUGH THE WOODS
(02:54) WIDE SHOT – US NAVY LANDING SHIP ON GOTLAND BEACH
(02:57) WIDE SHOT – US MARINES MOVING DOWN BEACH AFTER LANDING IN GOTLAND
(03:16) VARIOUS SHOTS – US MARINE TALKING TO SWEDISH HOME GUARD SOLDIER
(03:27) VARIOUS SHOTS – US MARINES ON PATROL IN GOTLAND
(03:59) WIDE SHOT – US MARINE IN TRENCH AS US MARINE AH-1Z VIPER ATTACK HELICOPTER FLIES OVERHEAD
(04:05) VARIOUS SHOTS – US MARINES ON PATROL
(04:27) WIDE SHOT – US MARINES PASSING BY COW PASTURE
(04:40) VARIOUS SHOTS – US MARINE UH-1Y VENOM UTILITY HELICOPTER LANDING
(04:48) VARIOUS SHOTS – VIPER ATTACK HELICOPTER PASSING OVERHEAD
(04:57) WIDE SHOT – US MARINES LOADING SIMULATED CASUALTIES ONTO VENOM HELICOPTER
(05:03) SLOW-MO SHOT (MUTE) – US MARINE SMILING
(05:08) SOUNDBITE (English) US NAVY REAR ADMIRAL JOHN MENONI, COMMANDER, EXPEDITIONARY STRIKE GROUP TWO
“So we’re on the island of Gotland, which is part of Sweden. We’re doing amphibious operations from the USS Gunston Hall, moving Marines from the sea to shore, setting up a beachhead and then working with the Swedish military.”
(05:22) SOUNDBITE (English) US NAVY REAR ADMIRAL JOHN MENONI, COMMANDER, EXPEDITIONARY STRIKE GROUP TWO
“We’ve had a long relationship with Sweden, both as a country and then as a military. They’re extremely professional. We enjoy working with them, and like I said, we are learning a ton from them, and I believe they are learning from us.”
(05:35) SOUNDBITE (English) SWEDISH ARMY COLONEL MAGNUS FRYKVALL, COMMANDER, GOTLAND REGIMENT
“We’re on the island of Gotland, on the Tofta Beach, and we just witnessed an amphibious landing of the US Marine Corps.”
(05:44) SOUNDBITE (English) SWEDISH ARMY COLONEL MAGNUS FRYKVALL, COMMANDER, GOTLAND REGIMENT
“Well, Gotland is situated in the middle of the Baltics, and from Gotland, you could easily control both air and sea movements in the south of the Baltic Sea.”
(05:56) SOUNDBITE (English) SWEDISH ARMY COLONEL MAGNUS FRYKVALL, COMMANDER, GOTLAND REGIMENT
“This exercise has been planned for more than a year, so it’s a way for the armed forces on Gotland, and in this case the US Marine Corps, to train together in order to be able, if necessary, to conduct joint operations.”
(06:14) SOUNDBITE (English) SWEDISH ARMY COLONEL MAGNUS FRYKVALL, COMMANDER, GOTLAND REGIMENT
“We conduct both national and international exercises and operations together with NATO. As a, if we become a member of NATO, that of course will be a big difference, because as a member, we can be a part of the joint military operational planning, for the defence of Europe, and north Europe of course. And also, we get the security guarantees that we lack as a partner of NATO.”
(06:44) SOUNDBITE (English) SWEDISH ARMY COLONEL MAGNUS FRYKVALL, COMMANDER, GOTLAND REGIMENT
“I mean, everything is much more real. I mean, the threat is real, and we have seen what, in this case, Russia is prepared to do to a neighbouring country.”
(06:53) SOUNDBITE (English) SWEDISH ARMY COLONEL MAGNUS FRYKVALL, COMMANDER, GOTLAND REGIMENT
“Well, the first thing is I feel secure, and I really feel that my work has meaning. And it’s important, and I mean we are appreciated from the civilian society, in a more, in a bigger way than we were earlier. So it’s a big difference.”
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