A "military monster" has been created and it's about to be launched…

Sweden plans to send its units, helicopters and fighter planes. That country is also ready for official NATO accession, probably in a few days, after it received the final and crucial confirmation of the other members last week.

The exercises, involving more than 20,000 soldiers from more than a dozen countries, are taking place in the far north, whose picture has been significantly changed by the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO, as the two countries turned their backs on a long history of non-alignment following Russia's attack on Ukraine.

In Bode, northern Norway, US and Norwegian F-35s joined Finnish F-18s and Swedish Gripen fighter jets in a low-flying flight over the Camp Bodin military base, as part of the first test of the Nordic joint air operations center, a key part of the military exercise.

The exercises will last, as we predict, until May and about 90,000 soldiers will join them. Also, they will be held in the far north of Norway, Sweden and Finland, and are part of the comprehensive allied exercises called "Steadfast Defender 2024". The integration of Nordic air forces into the alliance will create a regional fleet of around 250 fighters, equal to that of a military power such as Britain.

"I have a bottle of champagne ready to pop as soon as membership is approved," said Sweden Air Force Chief Rolf Folland.