Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office of Counter-Terrorism, in partnership with the Governments of Norway, Finland, and the United States, hosted the Ormen Lange regional tabletop exercise (TTX) and workshop, in Oslo, Norway, from 20 to 22 January 2026. Ormen Lange marked the first table-top TTX under the auspices of the Global Forum to Prevent Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism (Global FTPRNT).
The exercise aimed at strengthening the resilience of participating States from the Baltic Sea and Black Sea regions in addressing complex and evolving radiological and nuclear threats. It supported participating States in advancing nuclear security, improving cross-sectoral information-sharing, communicating expert information during nuclear incidents, and making informed decisions in environments where information may be limited, uncertain, or deliberately falsified.
Approximately 60 participants from 13 Member States took part, representing law enforcement and border authorities, nuclear regulatory bodies, defense and emergency response agencies, and national ministries, including foreign affairs, interior, and environment.
The TTX exercise highlighted the critical role of continuous radiological surveillance, effective command transition and multi-agency coordination, timely international assistance, and clear strategic communication to manage public trust and prevent escalation during radiological and/or nuclear incidents. It also underscored the importance of whole-of-government and whole-of-region approaches to nuclear security.
The exercise benefited from additional expert contributions from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICRI), among others. These perspectives reinforced the value of international legal frameworks, technical cooperation, and coordinated response mechanisms in countering radiological and nuclear terrorism.
The Ormen Lange TTX Exercise concluded with a forward-looking discussion on lessons learned, gaps in preparedness, and future training and exercise needs, reaffirming the commitment of participating States and partners to continue collaboration in strengthening regional and global nuclear security.
Background
The event was conducted under the Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Use of Weapon of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵCCT) withing the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, with the financial support of Finland and the European Union. Ormen Lange was the first table-top exercise and workshop under the auspices of Global FTPRNT ahead of its next plenary to be held in Morocco in February 2026.
