Blue Game 2004 

 26 April - 14 May

Article per NATO press office:-

Exercise BLUE GAME 2004 (BG04) is a combined joint NATO Task Force level Crisis Response Operation (CRO) LIVEX that will take place in the timeframe 26 APR - 14 MAY 2004 in Norwegian, Swedish and Danish Waters. BLUE GAME is for the first time open for participation by partner nations. BLUE GAME was earlier divided into two exercises BOLD GAME and BLUE HARRIER focusing on Fast Patrol Boat- and MineCounterMeassure-Operations in a Littoral environment.

BLUE GAME is now a NATO-lead exercise with COMNAVNORTH as Officer Conducting Exercise and Norway as lead nation (NO NJHQ COMNAV) in 2004. With the transformation of NATO, exercises in NATO have also changed. BLUE GAME as an exercise has changed with focus on all warfares and with all maritime assets as participants. BLUE GAME as exercise is important because it is executed in a Littoral environment with focus on asymmetric threats and counter terrorism.

BLUE GAME 2004 is divided into phases starting with phase 1 (Harbour phase) 25-26 APR. At the harbour phase the participating units will familiarize with each other and get communication equipment installed.

Phase 2 will be conducted from the 27 APR - 09 MAY with a weekend stay in harbour. Phase 2 will focus on different warfares like Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW), Anti Air Warfare (AAW), Mine Counter Measures (MCM) and Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW). The participating forces are divided into different Task Units depending ship capabilities. On completion of Phase 2, BLUE GAME will change to a Crisis Response Scenario (Phase 3) with asymmetric threats and the protection of international shipping as the main focus areas. This scenario will be driven by a MEL/MIL-list which is different messages promulgated by the Exercise Staff to the participating units during that phase.

The scenario requires the execution of a primarily maritime NATO-led Multinational operation under a UN mandate to reduce the terrorist threat in the area. It is the first time that BLUE GAME will be open for participation by partner nations. Sweden will take part and as a consequence Sweden has accepted to open its territorial water.

Phase 3 will be terminated on 13 MAY and Phase 4 (HWU) on the 14 MAY will take place in Denmark where the exercise will analyse and discussed (lessons learned).

INTRODUCTION
The scenario for BLUE GAME 2004 (BG04) is totally fictitious and has no resemblance to any real world situation. It has been designed solely to support the exercise aims and objectives. For the benefit of the players five generic countries named STENSLAND, SCANDIA, SKAGIA, ANGOR and The FEDERAL BALTIC STATES (FBS) have been created as depicted on the map.

GENERAL
STENLAND (ST), SKAGIA (SK) and SCANDIA (SC) are all democratic states, with a modern infrastructure within most areas of the societies. Through the industrial evolution the three states have evolved from relatively poor fishery and farmer states to modern industrial countries taking active part in all the important international forums.

The Republic of ANGOR is a former communist country that has turned into a sort of past-communism dictatorship. The elected President has changed the constitution in order to remain in power. The Parliament has been stripped of its powers and the marionette Government appointed by the President has neither been willing nor able to implement market economy. Hence the economical situation in ANGOR has deteriorated rapidly.

ANGOR’s former trading partners, in the vanished communist block, The FEDERAL BALTIC STATES (FBS) included, but also STENSLAND, SKAGIA and SCANDIA have turned their back to the country.

Political failures and grave financial hardship in ANGOR have led to a situation where several fundamentalist groups have demanded extensive changes or a restoration to the old communist system. They argued that during this period people had work and veterans received their pensions.

The most extreme of these groups “The People of ANGOR Political Party” (PAPP) has on several occasions’ raided legal commercial trade shipments between the democratic countries in the region and the rest of the world. Bombings and assassinations of politicians and industrial leaders have become a nearly daily event especially in East ANGOR. Other effects of the mismanagement of the nation are: illegal immigration, organised crime and smuggling. Today this situation also affects all the neighbouring countries. Especially, the ethnic “Angor enclave” in the Arendal area of STENSLAND, has become a PAPP stronghold on the northern side of the Skagerrak.

In addition, according to national intelligence sources the PAPP probably has several other sleeping operational groups known as the PAPPA’s (The PAPP Assault Groups) in both SKAGIA and SCANDIA.

SITUATION
On 10 July 2003 STENSLAND, SCANIA and SKAGIA implemented an economical embargo against ANGOR. Although initially discounted by the UN as political posturing, international concern was raised when training and readiness stature of fundamentalist terrorist groups supporting ANGOR became apparent. The International Society has also voiced concerns of the increasing number of refugees from ANGOR to STENSLAND, SKAGIA and SCANDIA.
Some elected democratic politicians still active in ANGOR have continued to condemn the fundamentalist ideas within the AGORA leadership. However, the Government have maintained strict control of the opposition within the country. Some of the democratic elected politicians still active in ANGOR still try to voice their opposition, and stop the refugee flow out of the country and use every opportunity to condemn the President’ fundamentalist ideas.
After the small boat suicide attack on the Spanish oil tanker M/T BERBERANA enroute SCANDIA from Mongstad (STENSLAND), in Skagerrak 22 Jun 03. Where M/T BERBERANA caught fire, three of the crewmembers were killed and the tanker eventually sank. The UN Security Council Resolution 6401 was implemented. UNSCR 6401 condemns actions by the PAPPA’s and other terrorist related groups in ANGOR, and advises the political leadership in ANGOR to take immediate action to bring the terrorist related group under control and gives NATO the lead of a Multi-National Maritime Force (MNMF) supporting STENSLAND, SKAGIA and SCANDIA to ensure freedom of movement and protection for merchant shipping in the Skagerrak and Kattegat.
In East ANGOR some key commanding officers in the ANGOR military lately stated that they will no longer abide to the orders and directives passed from the regular military leadership in the capital. Instead they intend to support the charismatic leader of PAPP Mrs Iva ISWOLF as their new CINC. Many people also support her demand for an Independent East ANGOR. This is all according to press reports, however if these statements are proven to be correct PAPP and the PAPPA’s might be in control of huge weapon arsenals, ranging from sea mines to airplane

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