LONDON -- More than 150 NATO warships and 300 aircraft maneuvered in the North Atlantic Wednesday in one of the biggest naval defense exercises ever conducted by the western allies.
The strategy behind the month-long exercise, dubbed 'Teamwork 84,' is to land 12,000 U.S. Marines beyond the Arctic Circle in northern Norway in severe weather conditions. Backing them up will be 38 U.S. Navy vessels -- the biggest single national contingent.
'Teamwork will be graduation day for the 4th Marine Brigade in Arctic warfare,' one American commander said. The Marines will have to fight themselves ashore in temperatures down to 14 degrees.
The object is to escort and protect an amphibious force at sea and land the troops as close as possible to NATO's first defense line -- the icy northern front between the West and Russia.
Altogether 40,000 men from nine NATO nations willbe involved in the maneuvers, controlled from HMS Warrior, nerve center of Britain's Royal Navy, on the northern fringe of London.
As well as the marine landings, there will be major anti-submarine warfare exercises and convoy protection patrols.
Teamwork 84 is the biggest submarine exercise in six years with 20 submarines deployed, including three nuclear-powered vessels.
This week surface ships steaming north into the Norwegian seas will run the gauntlet of 11 diesel-powered submarines patrolling the strategic Iceland-Faroes islands gap.
A total of 28 merchant vessels have been hired at a cost of around $2 million to simulate realistic convoy conditions.
For the first time, the exercise will involve major in-flight refueling maneuvers for maritime patrol aircraft, enabling planes to stay airborne for up to 15 hours. Sophisticated and secret new equipment will also be tested aboard submarines and frigates.
In accordance with East-West agreements, the Soviets have been invited to observe the maneuvers. Moscow's military attache in Norway will have a seat at the mock war.
But as expected, many Russians are joining in without an invitation. A Soviet cruiser is listening in off the Lofoten islands and another warship is shadowing Britain's HMS Illustrious off north-western Scotland.
Six giant Soviet Bear reconnaissance planes have been intercepted by shore-based aircraft.
The naval exercise began Feb. 28 and runs through to March 22.
