Burgos, March 27 (EFE).- Some 25,000 soldiers from 14 NATO allied countries participated this March in a training exercise in the face of extreme conditions of cold, snow and frozen terrain in northern Norway.
The preparation and organization of this multinational exercise, ‘Cold Response 26’, has had the participation of the Mountain Troops Command, a unit integrated into the San Marcial Division, whose headquarters are located in Burgos.
‘Cold Response 26’ is one of NATO’s main winter training sessions and took place from March 9 to 19 in northern Norway, the San Martial Division reported in a press release.
It has included a previous integration phase from February 18, and a subsequent withdrawal phase until March 25, and is one of the largest maneuvers in Arctic conditions of the year.
A fundamental part of the planning of this activity has been carried out in Burgos, and the Mountain Troops Command itself has had a prominent role in the development of the exercise, which has required an effort of preparation, deployment and provision of specific material.
Among the equipment used, the platoon tents with capacity for ten soldiers, equipped with multi-fuel stoves, stand out; individual sleds; sleeping bags with comfort temperatures of up to -18 C and extreme temperatures of -40 C; as well as booties and high-resistance thermal mats.
During the exercise, other materials were incorporated and renewed, such as thermos bottles, headlamps, water bottles, technical wool clothing – some of them specifically designed in accordance with the requirements of the Mountain Troop Command – as well as awnings and camouflage nets.
There have also been ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) vehicles, six-wheeled quads adapted with track systems to facilitate movement on snow, and TOM (Mountain Caterpillar Transport), exclusively provided by the Mountain Troops Command.
With the completion of ‘Cold Response 26’, the Armed Forces reinforce their interoperability with allied countries and consolidate their ability to operate in complex scenarios. EFE
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