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The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
-led
Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...
an multi-national military partnership designed for rapid response and expeditionary operations. It consists of the United Kingdom, the
Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe, as well as the Arctic Ocean, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denm ...
(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden), the
Baltic states The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern co ...
(Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), and the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
. The JEF has been fully operational since June 2018. It can act independently in its own right, but it can also be deployed in support of
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
or other cooperative ventures, for example as part of a
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
peacekeeping force. All of its ten member states are also members of NATO, with Finland's and Sweden's applications ratified in 2023 and 2024, respectively.


History


Formation (2012–2018)

The JEF concept was first conceived in 2012 and announced by the then Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards.Speech Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir David Richards
Royal United Services Institute The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI, Rusi) is a defence and security think tank with its headquarters in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1831 by the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley ...
(RUSI), 17 December 2012
The JEF arose from the
Joint Rapid Reaction Force The Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) was a capability concept of the British Armed Forces from 1999 to 2010. It was a pool of specialised units from all three armed services tasked with Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment worldwide at short ...
(JRRF) which disappeared as a result of the UK's focus on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The multinational JEF was officially launched with the Letter of Intent as a NATO initiative at the September 2014 Wales Summit, subsumed under the new "Framework Nations Concept" rubric. Germany, the UK and Italy were to act as framework nations for groups of Allies coming together to work multi-nationally for the joint development of forces and capabilities required by NATO. The United Kingdom element of the JEF consists of personnel and equipment from the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
,
Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
,
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
and
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
and is designed to provide greater levels of integration than previously achieved especially when combined with other countries' armed forces. In September 2014, the British
Defence Secretary A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
Michael Fallon Sir Michael Cathel Fallon (born 14 May 1952) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 2014 to 2017. A member of the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom ...
also announced the signature of a Letter of Intent between Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom, to establish the JEF so that it is fully operational before 2018. In early October 2015, Swedish Defence Minister
Peter Hultqvist Carl Anders ''Peter'' Hultqvist (born 31 December 1958) is a Sweden, Swedish politician of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Social Democrats who served as the Minister for Defence (Sweden), Minister for Defence in the Swedish Government from ...
said that he did not rule out Sweden joining the Joint Expeditionary Force. He explained that no formal process exists that would allow them to join JEF. He was summoned by the
Riksdag The Riksdag ( , ; also or , ) is the parliament and the parliamentary sovereignty, supreme decision-making body of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral parliament with 349 members (), elected proportional rep ...
to confirm if the government was engaged in formal talks to join the JEF without the knowledge of the parliament. On 30 November 2015, in the United Kingdom, seven countries (UK, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, and Norway) signed the contract to establish the JEF. On 22 June 2017 the Swedish government confirmed that Sweden would be joining the JEF. On 30 June 2017, Finland also joined the JEF. On 28 June 2018 a comprehensive memorandum of understanding was signed amongst nine partner countries. On that date, capability existed to deploy over 10,000 personnel.


Activities (2019–present)

In 2019, a series of maritime exercises occurred amongst JEF nations, known as BALTIC PROTECTOR. Following a meeting of JEF Defence Ministers in London on April 3, the first military phase of BALTIC PROTECTOR took place from 24 May to 4 June off Denmark. They practiced modern maritime warfare, including both land and sea training. Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and UK forces worked together to share tactical knowledge. In addition to maritime operations, marines and soldiers from across the exercising countries undertook
urban warfare Urban warfare is warfare in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both Military operation, operational and the Military tactics, tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the p ...
simulations, live firing and parachuting. While JEF is willing and able to act without other nations, they prepare to work alongside
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
, EU, UN and other allies. They also joined the US 2nd Fleet on their annual
BALTOPS BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) is an annual military exercise, held and sponsored by the Commander, United States Naval Forces Europe, since 1971, in the Baltic Sea and the regions surrounding it. The purpose of BALTOPS is to train gunnery, repleni ...
exercise, which formed Phase 2 of BALTIC PROTECTOR. From 9 to 23 June, JEF forces were in the seas off Germany and Sweden where they conducted a sea war exercise, including mine countermeasure operations, naval gunfire, beach reconnaissance and close air support. Upon conclusion of the BALTOPS phase, many participating ships sailed to Kiel, Germany, to take part in the Kielerwochen Festival (
Kiel Week The Kiel Week () or Kiel Regatta is an annual sailing event in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is considered to be one of the largest sailing events globally, and also the largest summer festivals in Northern Europe, ...
). In the final phase, between 26 June and 8 July, amphibious exercises were undertaken in the Baltic area. To coincide with the final phase, Defence Ministers and Chiefs of Defence met to mark the achievements in the year since JEF was declared operational and set the ambition for the next four years. On 20 April 2021, Ben Wallace, the British Secretary of State for Defence, and Sturla Sigurjónsson the Icelandic Ambassador to the United Kingdom signed a note of joining, leading
Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
to become the 10th member of the JEF. In February 2022, the foreign ministers of the 10 JEF countries announced military drills (ground, air and navy) in northern Europe. In March 2022
Volodymyr Zelensky Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth and current president of Ukraine since 2019. He took office five years after the start of the Russo-Ukraini ...
addressed a meeting of the heads of government of the JEF, and said: "Everything will be directed against Europe if Ukraine does not survive. Therefore, I ask you: help yourself by helping us." On 28 November 2023, it was announced that JEF(M) would deploy to patrol the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
.
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
announced that it would participate with two Visby-class corvettes.


Requirements

The aim of the JEF is to create a UK military framework, focused around its existing high readiness capabilities, that its partners can join up with. While it is the UK's intention to fully integrate the UK's JEF partners' contributions before 2018, the JEF is claimed to be able to deploy immediately if required. It is designed with the following requirements in mind: # act jointly and with allies, but able to act alone # be well equipped, but not tied to platforms # adapt as the environment changes


Capabilities

The JEF is intended as a pool of high readiness, adaptable forces that is designed to enhance the UK's ability to respond rapidly, anywhere in the world, with like-minded allies, or on behalf of international organisations such as the UN or NATO. The UK's contribution will include the lead commando, airborne, armoured, aviation, air and maritime task groups. Speaking before the
Royal United Services Institute The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI, Rusi) is a defence and security think tank with its headquarters in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1831 by the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley ...
in 2012, CDS General Sir David Richards outlined the specific applications that the capabilities of the Joint Expeditionary Force will allow: "With the capability to 'punch' hard and not be a logistical or tactical drag on a coalition, we will be especially welcomed by our friends and feared by our enemies ..JEF will be capable of projecting power with global effect and influence. Nowhere is more important to us than our friends in the Middle East and Gulf and in line with clear political intent we would expect, with other initiatives, for JEF elements to spend more time reassuring and deterring in that region."


International partners

Together with the
British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...
, the following nine states may form part of the JEF as required. * Denmark –
Danish Defence The Danish Defence (; ; ; ) is the unified armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark charged with the defence of Denmark and its self-governing territories Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The military also promote Denmark's wider interests, support ...
* Estonia –
Estonian Defence Forces The Estonian Defence Forces () is the unified military force of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian Defence Forces consists of the Estonian Land Forces, the Estonian Navy, the Estonian Air Force, and the paramilitary Estonian Defence Leagu ...
* Finland –
Finnish Defence Forces The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) (; ) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy, and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime, the Finnish Border Guard becomes part of the Finnish Defence For ...
* Iceland –
Icelandic Armed Forces Iceland's defence forces consist of the Icelandic Coast Guard, which patrols Icelandic waters and monitors its airspace, and other services such as the National Commissioner's National Security and the Special Unit of the National Police Commi ...
* Latvia –
Latvian National Armed Forces The Latvian National Armed Forces (), or NBS, are the armed forces of Latvia. Latvia's defense concept is based on a mobile, professional rapid response force and a reserve segment that can be called upon relatively fast for mobilization should t ...
* Lithuania –
Lithuanian Armed Forces The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Navy, the Lithuanian Air Force and the Lithuanian Special Operations Force. In wartime, the Li ...
* Netherlands –
Netherlands Armed Forces The Netherlands Armed Forces () are the military, military forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (mainland Netherlands in Europe and islands of the Dutch Caribbean). The armed forces consist of four service branches: the Royal Netherlands Nav ...
* Norway –
Norwegian Armed Forces The Norwegian Armed Forces () are the armed forces responsible for the defence of Norway. It consists of five branches, the Norwegian Army, the Royal Norwegian Navy, which includes the Norwegian Coast Guard, Coast Guard, the Royal Norwegian Air ...
* Sweden –
Swedish Armed Forces The Swedish Armed Forces (, literally ''Defence Force'') are the Military, armed forces of the Kingdom of Sweden. It consists of four separate military branches, the Swedish Army, the Swedish Navy, the Swedish Air Force and the Home Guard (Swed ...


Summits


See also

*
Allied Rapid Reaction Corps The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) is a rapid reaction force maintained by NATO. It is capable of deploying a High Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters at short notice for operations and crisis response. History The ARRC was created on 1 ...
*
Combined Joint Expeditionary Force The Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF, , FEIC) is a UK–French military force. It draws upon both the British Armed Forces and the French Armed Forces to field a deployable force with land, air and maritime components together with comma ...
*
Foreign relations of the United Kingdom The diplomatic foreign relations of the United Kingdom are conducted by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, headed by the Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom), foreign secretary. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minis ...
* Immediate Response Force *
Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) The Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) (or JEF(M)) (formerly the Response Force Task Group (RFTG), and prior to that the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF)), is the Royal Navy's contribution to the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) maintained at ...
*
Joint Rapid Reaction Force The Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) was a capability concept of the British Armed Forces from 1999 to 2010. It was a pool of specialised units from all three armed services tasked with Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment worldwide at short ...
*
Northern Future Forum Northern Future Forum is an annual, informal meeting of prime ministers, policy innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders from the 9 nations of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. I ...
*


References


External links


The website for the Joint Expeditionary Force - jefnations.org
*{{Twitter, JEFnations
Defence chief signals major UK military presence in Gulf
(theguardian.com)
Håkon Lunde Saxi, "The UK Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF)", ''IFS Insights'', no. 5. Oslo: Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), 2018. 6 pagesHåkon Lunde Saxi, "British and German initiatives for defence cooperation: the Joint Expeditionary Force and the Framework Nations Concept", ''Defence Studies'' 17, no. 2 (2017): 171–197
*Richard Reeve
The UK's Joint Expeditionary Force
ORG Explains #10, London: Oxford Research Group, June 2019. Military of the United Kingdom Military of Denmark Military of Estonia Military of Finland Defence of Iceland Military of Latvia Military of Lithuania Military of the Netherlands Military of Norway Military of Sweden Military units and formations of the United Kingdom Expeditionary units and formations 2014 establishments Military units and formations established in 2014 2014 in military history