NATO soldiers say they can’t let their guns get too warm if they want to operate on a frozen battlefield

• Frozen weapons are one of the many challenges NATO soldiers face in the Arctic conflict.

• Soldiers must be careful not to let the harsh elements damage their guns.

• But they can’t let the guns get too warm, because that creates new problems.

SODANKYLÄ, Finland – Of the many challenges NATO soldiers face in the harsh Arctic environment, the possibility of frozen weapons is one that risks leaving them the most vulnerable.

It’s easy to keep guns, drones and other equipment in perfect condition far above the Arctic Circle, where temperatures regularly drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and heavy snow brings unnecessary chills that can cause jams and other problems.

NATO military personnel training in northern Finland told Business Insider during a visit to the region in late January that they can’t let their guns get too warm if they want to operate in this weather.

The biggest problem with weapons in these conditions is the temperature difference, said Maj. Mikael Akio, head of the arctic section of the Finnish army’s Jäger brigade, who is leading a winter warfare training and cold-weather survival course for about 20 NATO soldiers.

The month-long course, held in Finland’s northern Lapland region, teaches NATO soldiers how to survive, move and fight in the harsh environment of the Arctic.

Such training has become a growing priority for NATO as officials call for an Arctic defense amid growing Russian and Chinese activity in the high north. Western forces may find themselves fighting on a frozen battlefield as the coalition and its adversaries compete for influence in this strategic region.

‘My hands are my worst enemy’

Lapland, like other northern regions in NATO’s seven Arctic states, is a difficult place to operate in winter. Bitter cold, limited sunlight, and deep snow forced the army to move slowly and cautiously. And limited support infrastructure makes sustainability in the North more difficult.

In the Arctic, survival is only the first challenge. The armies must also employ their weapons; Even the smallest equipment failure can edge the enemy.

Canadian Cpt. All technology struggles in this part of the world, especially anything that requires charging like drones, said Vincent Lemelin, one of the participants in the Arctic Warfare Training Course.

Anything covered in snow will eventually get damp or wet, Lemelin said, so soldiers try to keep their guns cool at all times to avoid melting ice or snow and introducing any frost that could cause it to function properly.

Finnish Lt. Laura Lahdekorpi, another course participant, said she always carries a brush to remove snow from her guns, especially sensitive areas like optics, which are more vulnerable to buildup. Soldiers are trained to make sure their weapons are dry to prevent anything from freezing.

Lahdekorpi said that shooting with a cold gun is a challenge. Her outer gloves are too heavy, so she takes them off and uses a thin liner to pull the trigger, but this exposes her hand to the metal frame of the weapon, which keeps it cold.

“I think my hands are my worst enemy,” she said. “I have to keep them warm.”

Proper weapon care does not end when training ceases. Soldiers are taught to keep their guns at a constant ambient temperature. Bringing them into a warm tent, for example, can cause condensation that then refreezes.

Soldiers cannot leave guns outside their tents, as they can be stolen in real-world situations. Instead, they bring them inside but keep the weapons on the ground or somewhere as cool as outside.

Proper gun temperature management is not the only equipment struggle in the harsh Arctic. Drones are also relatively limited in their capabilities, especially in extreme cold, when temperatures drop below -14 degrees Fahrenheit.

During combat exercises in the middle of the Arctic Warfare Course, soldiers practiced using drones to collect target data and call in artillery strikes against a simulated enemy force formed by the Finnish military.

Using small drones for deployment, targeting, and fire support missions is standard practice in the Russian war against Ukraine, and despite their limitations are expected to become a key part of the kill chain in future conflicts.

Aikio, a Jaeger brigade chief, said drones require special handling in arctic conditions. Exposing them to snowmobiles before launch risks damage from the elements, and once in the air, icing on the tiny propellers and limited visibility can quickly degrade performance.

Learning to operate weapons and other gear in this environment is one of the many skills NATO soldiers are taught to master in Finland, about a third of which is above the Arctic Circle. The country also knows cold-weather warfare, making it well-suited to teach the rest of the alliance winter warfare.

Lemelin, the Canadian captain, described the course as a “humbling experience”; This is a significant risk to the NATO alliance as Western forces contend with a rapidly changing Arctic environment and an expanding adversary footprint.

Read the original article on Business Insider