Swedish Armed Forces conducts the largest exercise of the year – Aurora 26

PRESS RELEASE
Swedish Armed Forces Conduct Largest National Exercise Of The Year - Aurora 26

Stockholm, Sweden — From 27 April to 13 May, the Swedish Armed Forces will conduct Aurora 26, the largest national military exercise of the year. Executed in close coordination with allied nations and Ukraine, the exercise will rehearse operational defense plans and strengthen security and stability in the Baltic Sea region.

Aurora 26 will involve more than 16,000 personnel, including soldiers, sailors, and officers from the Swedish Armed Forces. The exercise will also include the reception and integration of approximately 1,500 allied troops, rehearsing plans for reinforcement operations in the Baltic Sea and along NATO’s Eastern Flank.

Following Sweden’s accession to NATO, the Swedish Armed Forces have adopted a new task: to defend Sweden and its allies and to contribute to the collective defense of NATO. Aurora 26 represents a rehearsal of NATO-adapted operational defense plans under this new framework.

All service branches—including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Home Guard—will participate alongside forces from 11 allied nations and Ukraine in a coordinated, multi-domain training effort spanning more than two weeks. The exercise is designed to enhance interoperability, strengthen joint operational capabilities, and improve readiness for combined military operations.

Sweden’s strategic position in the High North provides critical access for allied reinforcement. Aurora 26 will demonstrate the capability to ensure secure and efficient movement of personnel and materiel from west to east, supporting NATO’s collective defense posture.

The exercise will take place across southern and central Sweden, on the island of Gotland, and in the Baltic Sea region.

For further information regarding media access and opportunities, please contact:

• Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters
  Department of Communications and Public Affairs
  Defence Staff
  Email: Press@mil.se