Operation Arctic Shield

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Northern Sweden[/b]

[i]Winter Darkness.[/i] The code word had been transmitted through the entirety of the network of commands now sprawled across Northern Sweden, forward headquarters units had transmitted the words down to the company and platoon level. A mandatory evacuation of the Swedish-Finnish border had been quietly initiated over the past six hours, elements of the Frontier Brigades [i]Norrland[/i] and [i]Jamtland[/i] had assisted with evacuation measures that had begun along the entire border. At midnight, the Swedish Interior Ministry had turned over operational command of Operation [i]Northern Guardian[/i], on the border with Finland, to the Swedish Armed Forces Command at Ronneby, which then promptly executed the go word for Operation [i]Arctic Shield[/i].

Swedish aircraft patrols had been slowly increasing in number over the course of the day, with SAF-1 stealth fighters flying along the border, while ground forces continued their third day of maneuvering into forward positions. The entirety of the III Corps had been deployed less than seventy-two hours beforehand, and the forward units had begun posting themselves along the border, which was the formed by the natural barrier of the Muonio and Torne Rivers. Company-sized elements of mechanized forces prepared to guard strategic bridge crossings, and were deployed at distance from the border crossings, and began moving forward as soon as code word had been uttered over the command networks. While the entire border was not entirely covered with static-positioned troops, major areas of interest, where roads ran within a mile of the river, were patrolled vigorously, and squad-sized observation posts were established at various locations along the rivers to ensure security. At the strategic Muonio crossing, Battalion 1120 had forward deployed two platoons of the special forces unit to the International Route 404 bridge across the river, the two platoons having dug in over the last day with a company-sized element of the [i]Halsingland[/i] Brigade in a heavily forested area near the bridge.

Most of the III Corps' armored formations were kept at a distance from the border, generally within five miles of strategic positions, and had been split into regimental sized formations with extra mechanized infantry backup. The Frontier Brigades manned most of the forward observation posts and performed patrols, as they were the most acclimatized to the region. Backing up the frontier brigades were elements of the [i]Orebro[/i] Cavalry Brigade, with helicopter-borne infantry and gunships, as well as mechanized infantry from the [i]Halsingland[/i] Brigade. The troops had been issued extra ammunition and rations, as well as anti-tank weaponry and grenades. However, their task was not to breach the border, that was up to the aircraft and pilots of the Swedish Air Force and Swedish Navy, which began sorties right above them after the stroke of midnight.

Operation [i]Arctic Shield[/i]'s opening move would start with the nuclear attack submarine, [i]Saxnot[/i], which had sailed north from Lulea towards the head of the Gulf of Bothnia, the submarine, upon reception of the code word, deployed to launch depth and fired a series of four BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Confirmed locations by satellite intelligence, the one missile would target the radar at Kemi's civilian airport, while the three other missiles would be combined to strike the forward-deployed tanks of Finland's Army at Muonio with deployable sub-munitions, creating an area-blast effect. Overhead, three squadrons of the sixth-generation SAF-1 stealth fighters would begin flying air superiority over the border region, some of the aircraft flying along the border deploying a series of anti-radiation missiles at various sources of interest inside the Finnish border, mostly suspected radar sites.

Additionally, the Swedish Navy's Fleet Air Arm would deploy three squadrons of SAF-68 Stealth Multirole Fighters, most armed with air-to-air weaponry, some armed with anti-radiation missiles, ahead of a flight of four SAB-22 stealth tactical strike aircraft. The SAB-22s would deploy a total of twenty GBU-39 small diameter bombs at the Kemi airport, with the intention of cratering the runway and denying Finland use of the airport should the operation continue. Along the entire border, flights of SAF-1s and SAF-44s would mask the approach of twelve SAB-1R Regional Strike Aircraft, which would fly on afterburner from Stockholm. As the B-1Rs approached the Swedish-Finnish border, SAT-400EW aircraft would begin suppression of air defense procedures, using their powerful emitting systems to jam radar systems and command and control capabilities across the border. The SAB-1R Strategic Bombers would come in at high altitude, launching a total of two AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapons each, the glide bombs deployed at about sixty miles out from designated targets, the SAB-1Rs having to breach Finnish airspace briefly. The AGM-154s would be aimed at destroying the electric grid of northern Finland, shutting down power at all major substations within fifty miles of the border, completely blacking out any non-generator-powered houses or locations, as well as six further AGM-154s aimed straight at the heart of the Finnish Army's tank deployments at Muonio.

The Swedish Air Force was on high alert, deploying stealth fighters to maintain constant rotating patrols over the Gulf of Bothnia, aircraft being kept in the air by air-to-air refuelers, while AWACS aircraft kept a close eye on any possible intervention by the Finnish Air Force. SAC-8 JSTARS aircraft would operate as airborne air battle management centers, directing fighters to deal with any possible threats and keeping ground commanders appraised of possible ground targets. SMQ-9 [i]Avenger[/i] UCAVs would maintain constant patrols along the entirety of the border, providing any ground forces with fast-reaction close air support should the situation call for it, the UCAVs being backed up by tactical strike aircraft and airborne gunships which loitered within fifty miles of the border, ready to react should conditions deteriorate. As the first cruise missile left [i]Saxnot[/i], a statement would be issued by the Swedish Government...

---

[center][b][size="4"]Official Swedish Announcement[/size][/b]

[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4c/Flag_of_Sweden.svg/200px-Flag_of_Sweden.svg.png[/IMG][/center]

"It has come to the attention of the Swedish Government that large numbers of offensive military equipment was positioned by the People's Republic of Finland in northern Finland, the placement of which upsets the security and integrity of Sweden's Lappland frontier regions, and all citizens in those regions. Therefore, as of midnight tonight, the Swedish Armed Forces have conducted the opening of Operation [i]Arctic Shield[/i], which will enforce, through forceful means, the withdrawal of offensive weaponry from close to Sweden's Finnish border. Given the increasing tensions, it is of the opinion of the Swedish [i]riksdag[/i], after consulting with the heir-apparent, at a closed door session of parliament, that Sweden must 'make a show of force, in order for tensions to resolve themselves'.

Therefore, the Swedish Air Force and Navy has been tasked with the destruction of any offensive military weaponry, including tanks, armored vehicles, and heavy artillery, as well as any forces that threaten our own, including aircraft, anti-aircraft weapons, radar systems, until the placement of offensive weaponry is withdrawn to a [i]minimum safe distance[/i] from the Swedish border. We will not endure the suffering of Swedish citizenry who have to live with large deployments of military forces in their backyards any longer, and we will withdraw our offensive forces when the People's Republic of Finland moves theirs to a proper distance from the Swedish border. The placement of large armored forces on our doorstep is completely unacceptable and threatening to the welfare of our citizens, and they will not have to live with such a looming threat.

The People's Republic of Finland has twenty-four hours to withdraw any remaining offensive military weaponry before the Swedish Air Force destroys armored formations and other weaponry, deployed located elsewhere close to the Finnish border."

[i]Fredrik Ericsson
Prime Minister of Sweden[/i]

Edited November 19, 2011 by TheShammySocialist

[Aggressivenutmeg]

[b]///CLASSIFIED///[/b]

The Forsvaret has been moved to DEFCON 3. Home Guard units in Nordland and Troms have been activiated, and the Luftforsvaret has increased patrols in the norther half of the nation.

[b]PUBLIC STATEMENT[/b]

"The outbreak of hostilities between our two neighbours is of great concern to Norway-Denmark. We must condemn Sweden for launching an attack without first attempting diplomacy, to defuse the situation without bloodshed. However, Norway-Denmark will remain neutral for the time being, seeing no value for us entering the war on either side. We also urge the Finns to accept Sweden’s ultimatum, rather than escalate the conflict. We are more then willing to host talks between the parties in Oslo, should both sides wish to negotiate." - Norwegian-Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

[Justinian the Mighty]

We join Norway in condemning the Sweden’s attack on our Finnish allies. You may have had a valid grievance, but not one that warrants an act of war. Sweden should halt its military operations in Finland and enter negotiations as soon as possible so that this doesn’t escalate into a much larger conflict. We have dealt with Swedish aggression toward Finland in the past and, if necessary, we will do it again.

[b]Classified[/b]
By orders of the General Staff, all military forces throughout northwestern Slavorussia and southern Finland have moved to AlertCon 3. The military is being mobilized to respond to the Swedish attack in kind.

[TheShammySocialist]

"Finnish allies? As for the record, we recognize no alliance between Russia and Finland's current government being signed. While we understand your position on this matter, we will not allow for your shielding of Finland's bellicosity to interfere here. We will gladly see a diplomatic resolution to this crisis as soon as Finland's offensive weaponry is withdrawn to a minimum safe distance. We have no other goals in this matter, this war has no connection to prior engagements between Sweden and Finland. Your stepping up to defend Finland's bellicosity will be the move that escalates this into a larger conflict, we have no quarrel with Slavorussia.

Any attack against Sweden by Slavorussia will be taken as a third party intervention into making this a general war, and any attack against Sweden will be responded to with the full force of Sweden's military arsenal. This is a dispute between Sweden and Finland, and your intervention only escalates it, if you want a diplomatic resolution to this matter, you would do well to ensure Finland moves its offensive weaponry away from the Swedish border. And we give our word that Sweden will respond in kind."

[i]Fredrik Ericsson
Prime Minister of Sweden[/i]

[b]Classified[/b]

The entirety of the Swedish Air Force went to standby status, as fighter patrols were increased along Sweden's Baltic airspace and approaches, diesel submarines would quietly begin departing their protective bases along the Swedish coast, and began posting themselves on the maritime approaches to Sweden, running silent on air-independent propulsion. The Swedish Grand Fleet began the transfer of multiple warships from the Kattegat to the Baltic, as vessels began forming surface action groups and carrier air groups in preparations for General War. The Swedish Home Army's Coastal Brigades began full deployments, and the Swedish Army began field deployments throughout the country, with elements of the II and VI Corps being moved north on routes on the interior of Sweden.

Edited November 19, 2011 by TheShammySocialist

[Markus Wilding]

With a good number of munitions launched against them, the Finnish tankers found themselves to be about a hundred less. Fifty tanks had been deemed inoperable, another fifty disabled but still operational and three more damaged. To avoid further anti-armor launches, the decision was made to move the division into the mountains, some twenty kilometers from the Sweden-Finland border. Although Swedish operations had killed power in the area, radios still worked and word was sent to the 2nd Infantry "Uusimaa" and the 1st Guards of the attack, and they began to pull from the border as well, settling themselves 5 kilometers from the border town of Kolari. Word of the attack reached the headquarters in Helsinki, and a general mobilization was called. Reserves were called to full duty and DEFCON 1 was established.

[Voodoo Nova]

"The Swedish government has every right to feel threatened with offensive military equipment and forces sitting on the border of their nation. They also have every right to remove this threat to their nation. There is no nation on this planet that will, or should, allow their borders to be threatened. We fully support Sweden in their ultimatum."

**Classified**

Satellites began monitoring the Finnish/Swedish border in order to provide the forces with more intelligence. The naval group in the North Sea began to move towards Sweden waters. The Commander asked the Swedish government permission to enter and anchor in their waters as support.

[Sir Keshav IV]

"Disappointing to see Sweden defy the sovereignty of Finland. Finland as an independent nation has every right to place their military equipment wherever they wish to in their own border. Disappointing to say the least."

[Justinian the Mighty]

Classified
Citing Sweden’s refusal to back down and additional aggression coming from the British Isles the Prime Minister ordered the General Staff to begin mobilizing the armed forces. After Sweden’s attack on the Finnish border Slavorussian forces in Lieto, Espoo and Porvoo went to high alert status and began preparing to go to the front. From Slavorussia’s interior everything from bullets, bombs and shells to boots, uniforms and chocolate was loaded on trains or transport aircraft and shipped to Slavorussian bases in Finland.

100,000 reservists were called up to go to Finland in the event of a ground invasion by the Swedish. Two battalions of new T-100 main battle tanks along with an additional four battalions of T-90’s were to be the spearhead of a possible counter invasion. In the meantime MiG-40 and MiG-45 stealth fighters had the role of maintaining air superiority over Northern Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia. Finally, Finnish and Slavorussian forces were to be reinforced with S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missiles.

[Centurius]

[center][img]http://data.treksimming.com/athenian-federation/iannouncement.png[/img]

It is the fundamental right of each and every nation to defend its borders proactively and with all force deemed neccesary. Finland made the first move against Sweden by positioning its forces in a way that was clearly threatening. As such we will offer Sweden our moral support and strongly advice uninvolved parties to remain uninvolved.[/center]

[b]Classified[/b]

FIA, CSS and ISIS satellites would begin focusing on the Scandinavian and Baltic countries to track movements from most importantly Finland but also Norway, certain images of interest would be forwarded to Swedish authorities over a highly secured network.

[TheShammySocialist]

The arrival of Slavorussian stealth fighters in the region was tracked by Swedish anti-aircraft defense emplacements on the Swedish Coastline. Ground-based high-resolution electro-optical sensor systems had been activated as soon as similarly ground-based low-frequency over-the-horizon radar systems and frequency-hopping active electronic scanned arrays had picked up contacts approaching from over the Finnish interior, and began tracking the aircraft as their "feet went wet" over the Gulf of Bothnia. Elements of the 1st and 2nd Fighter Groups, as well as the 4th and 5th Fighter Groups began setting interception vectors. In the vanguard of the fighter forces, the venerable SAF-44 Stealth Fighter took the lead position, along with the Maritime Strike Groups and their SAF-68 fighters, which would approach in small groups from multiple directions from Swedish airspace. Behind the SAF-44s, four new squadrons of the latest Swedish domestic-produced fighter, the SAF-9 Wargaz, which had just completed testing and its first production runs, would tail the SAF-44s towards the Slavorussian fighters.

Last but totally not least, three squadrons of Sweden's elite SAF-1 [i]Ukonvasara[/i] stealth fighters, produced for Sweden by the UFE, stood off at range, and began tracking the Mig-40s as soon as they got within range of the SAF-1's powerful sensory suite. Swedish anti-aircraft defenses on board nearby naval vessels sailing out of Lulea for Stockholm would ready themselves to provide surface-to-air missiles, while batteries of S-500 surface-to-air missile launch systems along the Swedish coastline and interior braced themselves to engage fighter aircraft. Anti-missile defense systems on the ground, in the form of Patria AMV-AD air defense vehicles would begin activating fail-safe systems and prepare their anti-missile guns and short-range surface-to-air missiles should the Slavorussian aircraft make a break at the coastline's or border region air defenses. Individual SASAMS units, armed with longer range Meteor Missiles also braced their systems for mobile scoot-and-shoot tactics should such an event occur.

SAC-8 JSTARS air battle management aircraft would stand at range and direct the battle with their own systems, and would begin vectoring fighters of the 6th and 7th Fighter Groups, which were tearing across Sweden from bases near Lake Vanern on afterburners to assist should they be needed in a general air engagement. SAT-400EW aircraft, flying near the Swedish coastline, behind the main groups of fighters readied their jamming systems to suppress communications and sensor systems on the Finnish mainland in support of the Swedish fighter groups which were ready to engage the Slavorussian fighters. The nuclear-driven guided missile submarine, [i]Velentr[/i], would prepare to go to launch depth to begin peppering air bases and facilities of both Slavorussia and Finland with cruise missiles should hostilities escalate, while SAB-22 and SAB-1R [i]Lancer[/i] aircraft re-armed for further ground attack missions against Slavorussian and Finnish forces across northern Sweden. Four SAB-1R aircraft remained in the air would also stand off, at range, armed with packages of long-range air-to-air missiles, ready to begin launching active-radar missiles in droves at the approaching Slavorussian fighters once provided with targeting data. As the first Slavorussian fighters crossed Finland's coastline into the Gulf of Bothnia, an open message would be transmitted by the Swedish Ministry of International Affairs and Trade...

[quote]"Any attempt to breach the Swedish airspace across the midsection of the Gulf of Bothnia will be taken as a threat to Sweden's national defense, and will be responded with the full force of the Swedish Air Force and air defense forces. Slavorussian Air Force aircraft that stray across the Gulf of Bothnia into our airspace, will be treated as hostile, and dealt with as such. Any launches of missiles or shots taken from Finnish airspace at any aircraft will be considered tantamount to an act of war, and shall be responded to with due force. Do not test our resolve in this matter."

[i]Christian Nyquist
Minister of International Affairs and Trade[/i][/quote]

---

With the declaration of support by Ireland, the Swedish Admiralty would grant the entrance of Irish ships into bases at Karlskrona, Malmo, and Gothenberg, while simultaneous issuing an open statement of appreciation for support by Athens and Ireland.

[quote]"The Swedish appreciates the support of Athens and Ireland in this matter, as they have willfully recognized, the national of security of Sweden was threatened by an imminent looming threat of a bellicose Finland. We admit that we are deeply saddened and disappointed by the fact that Slavorussia has been willing to spill their own blood, and only widen hostilities, in an attempt to permit Finland's aggressive behavior, threatening the citizens of Sweden's northern frontier, to continue."[/quote]

Edited November 19, 2011 by TheShammySocialist

[Markus Wilding]

OOC: I'll have a post up sometime, not sure when atm

[Triyun]

Our position on this matter is that the Slavorussians and Swedes are both entitled to strategic depth. However, this principle is threatened when the Fins senselessly concentrate heavy weapons on a border for no real reason.

The United Federation of the East condemns the provocative border deployments by the Finns. Provocatively deploying on a neighbors border has in the past been a source of many conflicts and the Finns had to be aware of this fact. Failure to be aware of this suggest to us a certain level of both ignorance and arrogance on their part.

As the United Federation of the East has serious military obligations to both the Slavorussians and the Swedes, we encourage both sides to sit down and discuss this. It is obvious that the Finns are not a responsible party and should not be the cause of a conflict between two serious and responsible nations. While we explore all options to prevent a conflict between our allies, we encourages the Slavorussians and the Swedes to come to the negotiating table and to create a memorandum of understanding which provides for both sides an adequate security buffer and takes a strong stand against the tradition of Finnish Extremism and Expansionism which we have seen particularly under the previous two finnish regimes.

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Open Dispatch from the Swedish MIAT[/b]

"The Swedish Government thanks the United Federation of the East for their support and recognition of our grievances in this matter, we will gladly accept to sit down with our Slavorussian counterparts. This is on pretext that Finland and Slavorussia withdraw or halt all offensive heavy weaponry from venturing within forty miles of the Swedish border, at which time we will withdraw our own offensive heavy weaponry from the Swedish northern frontier a similar distance.

These are but minor concessions we ask for at this time, and we will begin the preparations to move our own forces back, while we convey a delegation to a location of the United Federation of the East's choosing, as we ask for them to serve as an intermediary at these talks. Civilian and/or paramilitary forces serving as customs enforcement are not included in this pretext, and are therefore encouraged to continue with their work ensuring the sovereignty of our two nations and the integrity of our borders."

[i]Christian Nyquist
Minister of International Affairs and Trade[/i]

Edited November 19, 2011 by TheShammySocialist

[Markus Wilding]

And again Sweden must subjugate Finland. Finnish defense forces were deployed to the Swedish border to protect against this very scenario. Swedish officials repeatedly attempted to force upon Finland a series of elections that would only prove the people's loyalty and outright refused to recognize Finland's government as legitimate. And now Sweden only proves her imperialistic motives by attempting to enforce vulnerabilities in Finnish defenses. While Finland will not be the one to escalate this, Finland will concede to Swedish concessions and will pull back her armored forces.

[Triyun]

There is absolutely zero logic for it being a defensive deployment. Your statement is factually incorrect. A large mass of armor in one position is a defensive liability as its vulnerable to extensive bombardment, whereas well placed well camouflaged armor spread out, is a quite effective defensive tactic. The reason to amass armor is to attack with it, where fire power and mobility can be fully employed. Don't try to spin the obvious.

[TheShammySocialist]

[quote name='Markus Wilding' timestamp='1321726808' post='2847008']
And again Sweden must subjugate Finland. Finnish defense forces were deployed to the Swedish border to protect against this very scenario. Swedish officials repeatedly attempted to force upon Finland a series of elections that would only prove the people's loyalty and outright refused to recognize Finland's government as legitimate. And now Sweden only proves her imperialistic motives by attempting to enforce vulnerabilities in Finnish defenses. While Finland will not be the one to escalate this, Finland will concede to Swedish concessions and will pull back her armored forces.
[/quote]

"If our motives were imperialistic, we would have pursued a campaign against Slavorussia to ensure Finland came under the subjugation of Sweden before your nation even existed. Your logic is ill-founded in paranoia and extremist sentiment, and fear that a democratic neighbor will uncover the true stature of your totalitarian state. And enforcing vulnerabilities? We are also pulling back our own heavy weapons, which had to be dispatched from hundred of kilometers away to deal with your arrogant placement of offensive heavy weapons on our border. Do not lecture the us or the world with your melodramatic chorus of victimization, when it was your armored formations that could have trotted over our border from their encampments mere minutes from our border.

You brought this scenario upon yourself with your illogical and paranoid foresight, and almost caused a general war in Scandinavia, and you have the gall to chastise us. There is no subjugation going on here, provided you have the support of the entirety of Slavorussia behind you, through what now appeared to be a free rein to conduct threatening moves wherever you wanted. If we wanted to subjugate the nation of Finland, we would have easily just walked across the border under the cover of our aircraft destroying the armor you placed so foolishly close to our borders in an attempt to threaten us.

We appreciate your movement of offensive weaponry, but seriously call into the question the sanity of your government in general."

[i]Christian Nyquist
Ministry of International Affairs and Trade[/i]

Edited November 19, 2011 by TheShammySocialist

[Markus Wilding]

Finland's defense forces are for exactly that - defense. There is not, nor ever will be, a scenario in which Finland will make the first strike into Sweden. Additionally, Finnish forces have been at DEFCON 5 since the reestablishment of the nation and other than moving into their designated zones as ordered by General of the Army Teemu Äijälä Finnish armor and infantry have been involved in no movement. Furthermore, Finland is not a totalitarian state. Despite Swedish propaganda works aiming to state otherwise, Finland is a very free society. Scandinavian nations such as ourselves should be working together to eliminate grievances like this instead of destroying each other.

[TheShammySocialist]

[quote name='Markus Wilding' timestamp='1321730994' post='2847029']
Finland's defense forces are for exactly that - defense. There is not, nor ever will be, a scenario in which Finland will make the first strike into Sweden. Additionally, Finnish forces have been at DEFCON 5 since the reestablishment of the nation and other than moving into their designated zones as ordered by General of the Army Teemu Äijälä Finnish armor and infantry have been involved in no movement. Furthermore, Finland is not a totalitarian state. Despite Swedish propaganda works aiming to state otherwise, Finland is a very free society. Scandinavian nations such as ourselves should be working together to eliminate grievances like this instead of destroying each other.
[/quote]

"If Finland is a very free society, it would allow the freedom of elections to determine whether its government is the true representation of a truly free people.

That being said, if you wanted to work out grievances you had with our nation, placing armor two minutes away from our border was not the way of going about doing it. Continuing to paint yourself as a victim of aggression that was begun at your hand only continues to show the hypocrisy that is the Finnish government. Maybe Finland should be thankful that we, unlike our predecessors, can show restraint and not engage in an invasion campaign that would end with Sweden's forces parading through the streets of Helsinki.

And instead of slandering our nation with your hypocritical propaganda, your leaders would be more wise to be engaging in more constructive dialogue with our leadership or the leadership of Slavorussia."

[i]Christian Nyquist
Minister of International Affairs and Trade[/i]

Edited November 19, 2011 by TheShammySocialist

[Beauty]

"The Federation of Arctic Regions declares Neutrality, despite the Varin Doctrine that was recently passed. It gives no support to both sides but will remain uninvoled until further notice."