TRØNDELAG REGION, Norway -- U.S. Marines, in coordination with the Norwegian military, are scheduled to conduct a pre-planned Single Ship Movement and offload of military equipment from a Maritime Prepositioning Force ship in the Trøndelag region of Norway mid-August.
The equipment will significantly enhance the readiness of the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway by placing approximately 350 containers of gear and nearly 400 pieces of heavy rolling stock into the storage caves.
Specific equipment which will greatly increase the program’s readiness includes M1A1 Abrams Tanks, Tank Retrievers, Armored Breeching Vehicles, Assault Amphibious Vehicles, Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV) Gun Trucks and several variants of the Medium tactical Vehicle Replacement 7 ½ ton trucks. Planning for this equipment refresh began in the fall of 2013.
The offload will be the first time a newly constructed pier in the region will be tested, providing an opportunity for Marines and the Norwegian military to work an offload while increasing the operational readiness of the program significantly.
This routine equipment refresh also emphasizes the strong military bond between the U.S. and Norway and sustains an already solid foundation for future cooperative efforts. This single ship initiative also improves interoperability between the nations, enhancing access to a key strategic region within the U.S. European Command area of responsibility.