Arctic Forge 25 - The North Holds

The combat phase of Exercise Arctic Forge 25 has ended, and foreign troops are currently redeploying to their home bases.

Preparing and building a multinational exercise requires more than purely domestic efforts. However, it also gives more. Foreign troops bring their own methods and equipment and this allows our own troops to learn new things and at the same time compare our own methods with others. The situation also creates a competitive spirit, which encourages all to do their best and thus contributes to achieving

In terms of interoperability, many focus on technical aspects. It's natural that the technology needs to be compatible, and after several years of joint training, this aspect is starting to be in order. However, I believe the most important part of interoperability is the human side, understanding each other despite language barriers and different ways of working. Regarding language, we can say that there is no real barrier, thanks to the Finnish proficiency in languages. While we are not yet fully fluent in military terminology and the real meaning of some terms, we are improving continuously. Operations are becoming smoother, and for example, the commander of the Finnish unit assigned to a U.S. Task Force praised the exercise as highly rewarding, perhaps even the most valuable of their career.

For this exercise, we managed to bring together all branches of the Army, for which we owe a big thank you to the Kainuu Brigade. Both sides actively used various reconnaissance methods and sensors, including drones that have been prominent in public discussions. This allowed us to learn both how to use drones for reconnaissance and fire support, as well as how to protect ourselves from them. The backbone of the forces was infantry, with mountain and airborne troops, royal infantry, and our own Jaegers also participating.

In difficult terrain, light infantry equipped with versatile weaponry and well-trained is the king of the battlefield. However, It still cannot operate alone, and our tank team with its “Snow Leopards” brought heavy striking power.  The core of ground combat firepower lies in artillery, and its real-world involvement added realism, especially in tasks such as repositioning firing positions.

Our own air defense platoon received valuable training despite poor flying weather, thanks to the Lapland Air Wing. Also, the pioneer team worked in close cooperation with tanks, sometimes clearing obstacles, and at other times, engaging in combat in the manner of infantry. Due to the offensive mission and the enemy's light equipment, mining was less important, but it was still done. Commanding without effective communications is difficult, but the unit signal teams did their best, ensuring that command and control succeeded despite challenging terrain.

In the Arctic, or more precisely, the subarctic terrain of Central Lapland, the ability to maintain combat capability is critical. Anyone can be effective for a short time, but thirst, hunger, dampness, cold, darkness, fatigue, etc., will eventually sap energy unless the unit is properly sustained. The maintenance fighters did their "invisible" work, ensuring that the intense combat phase could continue around the clock, even when the situation was constantly evolving. We didn’t have any "night combat breaks" as sometimes happens in Finnish exercises. I also want to highlight the Combat Camera operators who fought alongside the unit while also recording events. They are an example of motivated and proactive conscripts.

On the last day of the exercise, some of the American and Canadian participants familiarized themselves with Finland's history of the Winter War, particularly the battles in the Salla region, including the decisive battle at Pelkosenniemi. At the end of the day, those who had excelled during the exercise were recognized for their contributions. On my own behalf, I want to thank everyone who participated in the preparation and execution of the exercise and supported it:

Jaeger Brigade
Kainuu Brigade
Pori Brigade
Guards Jaeger Regiment
Army Command
Lapland Air Wing
Centre for Military Medicine
3^rd Logistic Regiment
11th Airborne Division
10th Mountain Division
The Royal Canadian Regiment
U.S. Army Europe and Africa

I consider the exercise a success overall, even though not everything went exactly as planned, and there are areas for improvement. That’s always the case. I spoke with several soldiers from my own age group, and I heard the same thing I had been thinking myself: The change over the last few years, with increasingly diverse international exercises, has been a boost to the motivation of even those with decades of experience, and for some, those who had grown accustomed to our old training routines. While the state of the world may not always look promising, my confidence in our defense capability only strengthens.

Pohjoinen pitää - The North Holds!

Exercise Director
Colonel Ari Mure