OSLO, Norway — The National Guard Bureau’s top leaders traveled to Finland, Sweden and Norway last week as part of a series of visits to Northern European countries to strengthen the Guard’s security cooperation ties in the Nordic region.
Each nation hosted Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, and Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, SEA to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, for meetings with defense and military leaders to discuss deepening longtime and new partnerships and how to continue strengthening European and global security.
Accompanying Nordhaus and Raines were the adjutants general of the states partnered with each Nordic nation through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, or SPP: Army Maj. Gen. James Ring, Virginia National Guard; Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields, New York National Guard; and Army Maj. Gen. Shawn P. Manke, Minnesota National Guard.
“These key strategic partnerships ensure we will strengthen our collective defenses along Europe’s northern flank,” said Nordhaus, who visited the Nordic region for the first time as chief of the National Guard Bureau and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “As we deepen our defense cooperation, we look forward to building partner capacity and sharing the burden of global security together.”
While Norway is a founding member of NATO, going back to 1949, Finland and Sweden have historically adhered to military non-alignment, maintaining strong national defense capabilities while opting out of formal alliances.
However, Finland and Sweden ended their longstanding policies of neutrality after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, prompting each nation’s accession to NATO in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
In addition to a now unified NATO front fundamentally reshaping the security dynamics of the Arctic and Baltic Sea regions, all three Nordic nations entered security cooperation partnerships with the U.S. in the past two years through the SPP.
Initially developed in 1993 to assist countries emerging from behind the Iron Curtain, the SPP has grown to include 115 nations partnered with every U.S. state, three territories and the District of Columbia — including the Finland-Virginia, Sweden-New York and Norway-Minnesota partnerships.
“Cold-weather warfare, Arctic operations, and maritime security are just a few of the areas where our Nordic partners excel,” Raines said. “Through the State Partnership Program, our Guardsmen are building on decades of existing friendships and partnerships. We are forging a path for our Guard members to learn even more from their counterparts’ expertise while sharing our own. Together, we raise the readiness of our nations and NATO as a whole."
Beginning their multi-nation visit in Finland, Nordhaus and Raines familiarized themselves with the nation’s defense capabilities and ways to deepen Finland and Virginia’s budding SPP relationship.
Of the three countries, Finland shares the longest border with Russia — about 835 miles.
“It is significant that the Chief of the United States National Guard Bureau visits Finland in the current security situation,” Finnish Lt. Gen. Vesa Virtanen, chief, Defence Command, Finland, said in a release. “The visit offered an opportunity for in-depth conversations on current issues and opportunities for further deepening our cooperation. At the same time, it is important that we can offer our important ally an insight into the Finnish defence system and into our national defence principles.”
Finland maintains a large pool of trained reserve military forces of approximately 870,000 personnel, which is significant considering the nation’s relatively small population, to bolster its active-duty military of around 24,000 personnel. In times of crisis, Finland can mobilize up to 280,000 troops accustomed to the country’s heavily forested terrain and equipped with extensive experience in Arctic operations.
“The foundations of this partnership go back to 2001 when members of the Finnish Defense Forces served with the Virginia National Guard’s 29th Infantry Division during the Stabilization Force 10 rotation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2001-2002,” Ring said. “We formed enduring friendships with our Finnish counterparts, and Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have trained with Finnish military personnel on many occasions over the years, resulting in deep professional and personal bonds.”
“I have no doubt our future engagements will result in increased readiness for the VANG and our Finnish counterparts. As military allies and partners, we are stronger together.”
Nordhaus and Raines continued their Nordic nation visits by traveling to Sweden.
“Allies, friends and partners are stronger together than they are individually — especially against those who want to destroy freedom and independence,” Shields said during the July 2024 ceremony formally joining the Kingdom of Sweden and New York as SPP partners.
Their visit came as Sweden prepared to host New York Guard members to serve as observers and subject matter experts for the Swedish Army’s 1st Division’s first-ever division staff command post exercise.
Shields noted that three of the eight Army National Guard infantry divisions — Minnesota’s 34th, New York’s 42nd and Virginia’s 29th — are now partnered with Nordic nations, providing greater opportunities for synergy and best practice exchanges to build collective readiness and interoperability.
Traveling by Swedish UH-60M helicopters, Nordhaus and Raines visited the Swedish Air Force’s Uppland Wing at Ärna Air Base, where they observed a ground refueling and rearming demonstration of the domestically produced JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet by the Swedish Armed Forces.
With an advanced defense industrial base, Sweden has consistently invested in modernizing its military, including manufacturing the Gripen jet, advanced missile systems and submarines, which ultimately strengthen the alliance’s air, maritime and coastal defense capabilities.
Given Sweden’s coastline along the Baltic Sea and its enhanced military capabilities on Gotland, the largest island between Sweden and the Baltic states, Sweden provides immense strategic value and deterrence in its maritime dominance.
Earlier this year, Swedish UH-60M pilots visited the New York Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, New York. The 106th specializes in personnel recovery and combat search and rescue with HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters and HC-130J Combat King II fixed-wing aircraft. Both nations expressed interest in a pilot exchange program where Swedish pilots would expand their knowledge in air assault operations and New York pilots would build on cold weather operations and mountain flying.
Nordhaus and Raines concluded their tri-nation Nordic itinerary in Norway.
Though their SPP partnership was formalized in 2023, the Minnesota Guard and Norwegian Home Guard have had a strong relationship for more than half a century.
“The State Partnership Program is built on our strong bilateral relations for decades,” Norwegian Gen. Eirik Kristoffersen, chief of defence, Norway, said. “Norway has had strong relations with the Minnesota National Guard since 1973, years before the program officially started. The program facilitates for even stronger cooperation and exchange of experience. There is no limit on initiatives to further strengthen our already strong commitment to stand together to preserve peace and stability.”
Minnesota’s Soldiers and Airmen have partnered with their Norwegian counterparts through the U.S.-Norwegian Reciprocal Troop Exchange, known as NOREX, the world’s longest-running military exchange partnership.
In addition to promoting goodwill and cultural understanding, the yearly exchange sharpens military readiness between the two nations. In Norway, Minnesota Soldiers and Airmen are challenged to learn how to survive and operate in cold-weather field conditions. In Minnesota, Norwegian Home Guard soldiers train at Camp Ripley, the state’s premier training center.
"As the Arctic becomes increasingly contested, we must be prepared not just to endure the conditions but to operate and prevail in this environment," Raines said.
Norway’s territory extends into the High North, providing access to the crucial maritime corridor between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom, known as the GIUK Gap. This area is key for monitoring Russian naval movements and safeguarding North Atlantic maritime approaches.
As an active, foundational member of NATO, Norway’s defense policy focuses on collective security. Through the Nordic Defense Cooperation, or NORDEFCO, Norway maintains close collaboration with neighboring countries, including Sweden, to strengthen regional security through joint training, procurement and operational planning.
Earlier this year, War Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO defense ministers that Europeans must step up in the conventional defense of Europe — meaning they must spend more money, contribute more guns, missiles and troops and take on more leadership responsibility.
“Our expectation of our friends — and we say this in solidarity — is you have to spend more on your defense, for your country, on that continent, understanding that the American military and the American people stand beside you, as we have in NATO,” Hegseth said.
At the June 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, Allies committed to invest 5% of gross domestic product annually on core defense requirements and defense- and security-related spending. Nordic countries are already making strides toward NATO’s 2035 deadline.
Finland continues its military modernization efforts, including its acquisition of the F-35 fighter jet and advanced missile systems, and has steadily increased defense spending in recent years.
Sweden announced in May its plans to increase its defense budget, ensuring the nation’s momentum to meet NATO’s requirement.
Norway also increased its defense budget earlier this year. Notably, recent and planned acquisitions include a growing fleet of F-35s, new Ula-class submarines, long-range precision strike capabilities and more.
“There is no replacement for hard power,” Hegseth said.
Hard power is provided by a strong, functioning defense industrial base that promotes military readiness and equips military forces with the right weapons and tools.
“Investing in defense gives us the tools to deter and interoperability ensures those tools are multiplied," Nordhaus said. “When our forces can operate seamlessly together, that unity becomes one of the strongest deterrents we have."
“By deepening our defense cooperation with Finland, Sweden and Norway, the National Guard ensures that in the Nordic region, we don’t just operate alongside our allies, we share the burden of global security as one force."
Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard; Petty Officer 1st Class Stephanie Butler, New York National Guard; and C. Todd Lopez, Department of War, contributed.