WIESBADEN, Germany —
The U.S. Army deploys Soldiers to the Arctic, Feb. 17-28, as part of an exercise focused on enhancing military capabilities and cooperation in the High North.
Dubbed Arctic Forge 25, the exercise improves interoperability in extreme cold weather conditions in Finland and Norway and supports NATO's regional defense plans announced at the Alliance's Washington, D.C., summit in July 2024.
"Operating in the high-north allows NATO forces to train our warfighting tasks to be prepared to respond in conflict or crisis," said Gen. Christopher Donahue, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Commanding General. "Exercises like this validate how tactical readiness within our respective units translate into strategic relevance for employment together across austere environments."
The U.S. Army will deploy approximately 330 U.S. Soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division and 10th Mountain Division to train alongside 40 Canadian troops and 500 Finnish personnel. They will focus on command and control of a multinational battalion and honing cold-weather survival skills. Additionally, Virginia National Guard Soldiers will deploy from the U.S. to join Finnish forces for engineer training.
More than 110 U.S. Army Soldiers from the 41st Field Artillery Brigade will also deploy from Grafenwoehr, Germany, to Bardufoss, Norway, and demonstrate their ability to employ long-range precision fires in an Arctic environment.
The U.S. Army equips its forces to operate in extreme cold, high-altitude, and variable weather environments while collaborating with Allied Arctic nations. This commitment underscores the Army's dedication to safeguarding national interests in the Arctic region.
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