Joint Expeditionary Force

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a United Kingdom-led Northern European multi-national military partnership designed for rapid response and expeditionary operations. In addition to the United Kingdom, which initiated the establishment of the force in 2012, it consists of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden), the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), and the Netherlands.

The JEF has been fully operational since June 2018. It can act independently in its own right, but it can also be deployed in support of NATO or other cooperative ventures, for example as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force. All of its ten member states are also members of NATO, with Finland's and Sweden's applications ratified in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Formation (2012–2018)
The JEF concept was first conceived in 2012 and announced by the then Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards. The JEF arose from the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) which disappeared as a result of the UK's focus on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The multinational JEF was officially launched with the Letter of Intent as a NATO initiative at the September 2014 Wales Summit, subsumed under the new “Framework Nations Concept” rubric. Germany, the UK and Italy were to act as framework nations for groups of Allies coming together to work multi-nationally for the joint development of forces and capabilities required by NATO.

The United Kingdom element of the JEF consists of personnel and equipment from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force and is designed to provide greater levels of integration than previously achieved especially when combined with other country's armed forces.

In September 2014, the British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon also announced the signature of a Letter of Intent between Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom, to establish the JEF so that it is fully operational before 2018.

In early October 2015, Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist said that he did not rule out Sweden joining the Joint Expeditionary Force. He explained that no formal process exists that would allow them to join JEF. He was summoned by the Riksdag to confirm if the government was engaged in formal talks to join the JEF without the knowledge of the parliament.

On November 30, 2015, in the United Kingdom, seven countries (UK, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, and Norway) signed the contract to establish the JEF.

On 22 June 2017 the Swedish government confirmed that Sweden will be joining the JEF. Also in 2017 Finland joined the JEF.

On 28 June 2018 a comprehensive memorandum of understanding was signed amongst nine partner countries. On that date, capability existed to deploy over 10,000 personnel.

Activities (2019–present)
In 2019, a series of maritime exercises occurred amongst JEF nations, known as BALTIC PROTECTOR. Following a meeting of JEF Defence Ministers in London on April 3, the first military phase of BALTIC PROTECTOR took place May 24 to June 4 off Denmark. They practiced modern maritime warfare, including both land and sea training.

Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and UK forces worked together to share tactical knowledge. In addition to maritime operations, marines and soldiers from across the exercising countries undertook urban warfare simulations, live firing and parachuting. While JEF is willing and able to act without other nations, they prepare to work alongside NATO, EU, UN and other allies. They also joined the US 2nd Fleet on their annual BALTOPS exercise, which formed Phase 2 of BALTIC PROTECTOR. From 9 to 23 June, JEF forces were in the seas off Germany and Sweden where they conducted a sea war exercise, including mine countermeasure operations, naval gunfire, beach reconnaissance and close air support. Upon conclusion of the BALTOPS phase, many participating ships sailed to Kiel, Germany, to take part in the Kielerwochen Festival (Kiel Week).

In the final phase, between June 26 and July 8, amphibious exercises were undertaken in the Baltic area. To coincide with the final phase, Defence Ministers and Chiefs of Defence met to mark the achievements in the year since JEF was declared operational and set the ambition for the next four years.

On 20 April 2021, Ben Wallace, the British Secretary of State for Defence, and Sturla Sigurjónsson the Icelandic Ambassador to the United Kingdom signed a note of joining, leading Iceland to become the 10th member of the JEF.

In February 2022, the foreign ministers of the 10 JEF countries announced military drills (ground, air and navy) in northern Europe.

In March 2022 Volodymyr Zelensky addressed a meeting of the heads of government of the JEF, and said: “Everything will be directed against Europe if Ukraine does not survive. Therefore, I ask you: help yourself by helping us.”

On the 28 November 2023, it was announced that JEF(M) would deploy to patrol the Baltic Sea. Sweden announced that it would participate with two Visby-class corvettes.

Requirements
The aim of the JEF is to create a UK military framework, focused around its existing high readiness capabilities, that its partners can join up with. While it is the UK's intention to fully integrate the UK's JEF partners’ contributions before 2018, the JEF is claimed to be able to deploy immediately if required. It is designed with the following requirements in mind:
 * 1) act jointly and with allies, but able to act alone
 * 2) be well equipped, but not tied to platforms
 * 3) adapt as the environment changes

Capabilities
The JEF is intended as a pool of high readiness, adaptable forces that is designed to enhance the UK's ability to respond rapidly, anywhere in the world, with like-minded allies, or on behalf of international organizations such as the UN or NATO. The UK's contribution will include the lead commando, airborne, armored, aviation, air and maritime task groups.

Speaking before the Royal United Services Institute in 2012, CDS General Sir David Richards outlined the specific applications that the capabilities of the Joint Expeditionary Force will allow:

"With the capability to ‘punch’ hard and not be a logistical or tactical drag on a coalition, we will be especially welcomed by our friends and feared by our enemies.. JEF will be capable of projecting power with global effect and influence. Nowhere is more important to us than our friends in the Middle East and Gulf and in line with clear political intent we would expect, with other initiatives, for JEF elements to spend more time reassuring and deterring in that region."

International partners
Together with the British Armed Forces, the following nine states may form part of the JEF as required.


 * Denmark – Danish Defence
 * Estonia – Estonian Defence Forces
 * Finland – Finnish Defence Forces
 * Iceland – Icelandic Armed Forces
 * Latvia – Latvian National Armed Forces
 * Lithuania – Lithuanian Armed Forces
 * Netherlands – Netherlands Armed Forces
 * Norway – Norwegian Armed Forces
 * Sweden – Swedish Armed Forces

Criticism
Dr. Benjamin Tallis writing in 2023, thought that expanding the JEF was one way to bridge the gap between NATO application and NATO ratification.