Global warming has gradually opened up new shipping routes and trade routes in the Arctic. Both China and Russia are increasingly stepping up their expansion and control in the Arctic region, with Russia particularly intensifying its military presence in the area. Meanwhile, over the past few decades, Western military forces have either significantly reduced their forces after the Cold War or have been busy combating global terrorism.
After the Nordic winter land is frozen, with temperatures hovering around minus 34 degrees Celsius, troops and equipment can be more freely mobilized, which not only does not reduce the risk of triggering war but also increases the risk of war escalation.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ryan P. Burke, a professor at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) and author of the book “Great Power Competition in the Arctic,” warned that in the past 25 years, Western military forces have accumulated a wealth of experience in counterinsurgency, conventional, and unconventional warfare. However, they severely lack Arctic military skills and experience, and people have no idea how difficult it is to conduct military operations in the Arctic region.
To prevent potential risks, U.S. President Trump has been working to incorporate Greenland under his jurisdiction since his second term.
Most of Russia’s nuclear submarines and icebreakers are deployed on the Kola Peninsula in the Arctic, with the shortest route for Russian surface-launched ballistic missiles flying to North America crossing the Arctic. Russia shares a border of nearly 1,000 miles with Finland and Norway, with the Nordic countries most concerned about a potential Russian land invasion. If an invasion occurs, including the United States, NATO allies would move north to defend the Arctic.
Brigadier General Richard E. Angle, commander of European Special Operations Command and Allied Special Operations Command, stated that seven out of the eight Arctic nations are NATO allies, making the Arctic increasingly important for Western security. NATO must apply the past 20 years’ experience in counterterrorism and lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine conflict to the Arctic region.
In order to accumulate Arctic warfare skills and experience, NATO has dispatched a unit of nearly 100 soldiers to undergo three weeks of rigorous winter warfare training at the Subarctic Warfare Center, including a 12-member A-Team from the U.S. Army Special Forces, most with at least ten years of combat experience, including combat experience in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Following a 10-day training in Sweden with the A-Team, a Wall Street Journal reporter discovered that the Arctic climate is far more harsh than imagined, with the extreme cold weather being as dangerous as the enemy. Even seasoned soldiers struggle to survive, not to mention engaging in combat.
During the training, after a few days, some soldiers had to withdraw due to cherry-sized frostbite on their fingers from overnight outdoor stays. One European soldier almost lost part of his toes after failing to change his sweaty socks in time.
In the forest, removing skis could lead to knees sinking into the snow, and dropping items like knives into the snow makes them nearly impossible to retrieve. Soldiers have experienced frostbite from handling cold rifle magazines, with blisters forming on their fingers within two days, requiring medical attention.
During cross-country skiing training, every five-minute break every hour required trainees to quickly put on their down jackets to lock in the heat generated during exercise. In the -34-degree temperature, sweating poses a severe risk. Covered in snow everywhere, distinguishing terrain features and camouflaging are challenging, as even black boots or woolen caps stand out significantly in the snowy environment.
Some trainees expressed that while jungle warfare is dangerous, there are usually edible resources, but in the Arctic wilderness, finding food is difficult. A Swedish instructor mentioned that the most challenging aspect is teaching trainees to acknowledge when they are hungry, cold, or in pain rather than enduring it, as pushing through might worsen the situation. Joining this team requires strong endurance, determination, and resilience to endure pain.
Trainees undergoing the training hope that countries worldwide can collectively agree not to engage in warfare in the Arctic, similar to how all nations have agreed not to use chemical weapons.
The U.S. military has been actively training to build Arctic warfare skills and experience. The 10th Mountain Division, known for rapid deployment from Fort Drum, New York, was modeled after the elite Finnish ski troops. Commander Frederik Flink of the Subarctic Warfare Center International Division mentioned that over the past decade, the number of trainees in training courses in northern Sweden has increased sevenfold and now includes half Americans.
Experts believe that while the risk of a direct conflict in the Arctic region remains low, the United States must enhance its military presence in the Arctic to maintain this low risk. If NATO continues to overlook the Arctic and neglect to improve Arctic warfare skills, Russia is likely to escalate its probing efforts.
NATO recently launched the “Arctic Sentry” operation plan. In March of this year, American soldiers will join over 20,000 soldiers from other NATO member countries to participate in the “Cold Response” joint exercise hosted by Norway.