As the spotlight falls on expanded regional training opportunities and activities in the wake of this month’s Nordic Response 2024 exercise, Saab recently announced receipt of an order from the Norwegian Defence Materiel Organisation to enhance support, services and maintenance for the Combat Training Centre in Rena, Norway.

Saab representatives noted that the order’s deliverables, which valued at approximately SEK190 million (around US$18 million) over the contract period 2024-2027, encompass continued support to the Norwegian Armed Forces and their use of Saab’s modular GAMER live training solution... Continues below

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Above: Live training facilities at sites such as Rena are widely used by Norway and its allies. (Photo: Norwegian Armed Forces)

GAMER is described as a modular and scalable system for laser-based training, designed to be easy to configure to suit precise outcomes.

The core system is based on combat and gunnery training, with other packages that can be expanded to cover urban, combat medical, CBRN and counter-IED work.

Equipment included in the latest contract includes a suite of GAMER modular equipment, including soldier systems, vehicle systems, EXCON (exercise control) and communications gear. The contract also includes logistical, operational and engineering support to Saab’s Norwegian customer to support availability and status of the live training.

MVRsimulation’s VRSG: bringing military simulation training to life.

In addition to Rena, the arrangement covers on-site support for four additional training and simulation locations in Norway.

Company representatives emphasised a 20-year history of the Norwegian Armed Forces using Saab’s training and simulation systems, noting how this recent contract contributes to retaining a capability to train units up to brigade size, in-country as well as abroad.

The systems are fully interoperable with NATO and other allied countries, which is crucial in multinational live exercises with simulators. Norway’s training partners include, among many others, the US, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands.

Facing an increasingly belligerent Russia across its northernmost border, and against the background of its two Scandinavian neighbours joining NATO, plus doubts over future US levels of support for the alliance, delivering and maintaining this training capability for Norway can only have grown in importance.

Other articles in this newsletter:

Studying the opposition – how US Army trainers are learning from Russian tactics

Falling short – US DoD criticises Patriot missile training for Ukraine

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