From my Jane's email updates:
Sweden has joined the NATO Response Force (NRF), after the NATO allies approved its participation on 14 October. This makes it the third NATO partner country to do so, after Finland and Ukraine[.]
I knew Ukraine had joined up. Although good luck with that, I said.
And I admit I haven't had much positive to say about NRF as an effective military force. Although it should be more effective than my first views thought possible.
But I think of NRF more as a political force functioning as a mobile trip-wire that can be sent anywhere to make sure troops from many NATO countries are at risk to engage the attention of as many NATO countries as possible in a crisis. It's like the Cold War-era West Berlin garrison (US, Britain, and France each providing a combat brigade) but capable of going anywhere.
But getting Sweden and Finland involved in NRF sets them on the road to military inter-operability with NATO forces and may pave the way for NATO expansion in the north for a refocused NATO contesting control of the Arctic circle with a more assertive Russia.
So no mockery for today. Although my views on extreme multi-national units hold.
