USMC officials see potential of EABO in the Arctic during ‘Cold Response 2022'

The Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi participated in ‘Cold Response 2022‘. (Michael Fabey)

US Marine Corps (USMC) officials say they saw evidence in March during the exercise ‘Cold Response 2022' in Norway that the USMC Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept can work in Arctic regions.

“Clearly, we are learning about being expeditionary – away from North Carolina or South Carolina, or away from your own base,” US Marine Corps General David Berger, USMC commandant, told reporters at a press conference during the exercise.

Speaking during the press conference at the Norwegian Bardufoss Air Station on 23 March, Gen Berger said marines were learning the basics of what they need to set up EABO in such regions during the exercise.

Hosted by the Norwegian military, ‘Cold Response 2022' combines the forces of NATO allies and partner countries, with 27 countries, about 30,000 troops, 20 aircraft, and more than 50 vessels taking part in the exercise.

Berger noted the exercise forced marines to rethink and question some of their amphibious planning training. “What can you bring with you? How do [you] move all the equipment and people to another location? How do you operate along logistic lines? All of this is really relevant. In Norway, the terrain – the littoral terrain – is ideally suited for what we train for, what we have to learn.”

He added the “fjordal system” of Norway was a “great place” for marines to learn, experiment, and train as forces moved between land and sea. “All of this is relevant around the world,” the commandant said.

That is an important point to make for EABO operations, whose development has been linked, at least publicly, mostly to the Western Pacific.