Vintersol 2018
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192:nd mechanized battalion finex Photo: Mattias Hellgren/Swedish Armed Hellgren/Swedish Forces Mattias Photo: 193:rd ranger battalion finex Photo: Mats Nyström/Swedish Mats Armed Forces Photo: 91:st artillery battalion refreshment training vintersol 2018 Photo: Samuli Haapala/Finnish Samuli Photo: Forces Defence - Enhancing winter warfare capabilities winter warfare - this is where we excel Vintersol strenghtens the artillery Winter has come, bringing clear cold days and snow in abundance. With the winter co- As a part of Exercise Vintersol, the Artillery Regiment will, together with the units mes the annual invitational live exercise Vintersol. This year’s focus is the refreshment from the Boden Garrison, conduct refreshment training for 91:st Artillery Battalion. training for the 91:st Artillery Battalion, supporting the mechanized forces offensive This refreshment training creates an opportunity to form and train a whole artillery and defensive operations with indirect fire. The exercise is conducted under the confi- battalion, something that has not been done in a very long time. dent command of Third Brigade and supported by helicopter units and logistic support from the Third National Support Element and Logistics Regiment. All the personnel attached to the battalion are therefore gathered for this exercise event. The participants includes active duty, reserve and conscript personnel as well These excellent conditions that northern Sweden holds are part of the reason why ten as the recruits conducting basic training. To gather all of the personnel categories si- different Armed Forces units from all over Sweden gather in the Boden area during this multaneously for this exercise is a challenge in itself! exercise. Apart from approximately 1200 Swedish participants, the exercise is also at- tended by a platoon from the United States Marine Corps, enabling mutual sharing of It is both favorable and necessary for these refreshment trainings to be reinstated. experience and knowledge. Vintersol 2018 is also a valuable stepping-stone and oppor- Units in full material and personnel capacity, with all subsystems and functions mobi- tunity for these units to develop desired capabilities before the Swedish Army Exercise, lized enable a correct assessment of the unit’s combat effectiveness. Also developed Northern Wind 19, held in northern Sweden and Finland March 19. are the capabilities of all the units within the Boden Garrison subtasked to support the exercise. Vintersol 2018 officially starts with the Ranger Battalion’s Mountain Exercise at Keb- nekaise, followed by a live fire exercise and infiltration in the Boden area during week 9 I look forward to the refreshment training and Exer- and 10. During week 11, we combine all our forces to initiate the combined large-scale cise Vintersol. We now get the opportunity to train operations stage of the exercise. During this stage the battalions, functions and support the whole chain; from mobilization to combat, inclu- elements will, under the Commander of the Third Brigade, conduct offensive operations ding recuperation and maintenance, also important from Boden towards Vidsel, delay the opposing forces counter-attack and finally conclu- elements within the refreshment training. Vintersol de with double-sided combat at Boden Södra. The fighting is followed by recuperation, gives us perfect opportunities to cooperate and evaluation and the ever so important subsequent maintenance. develop our capabilities together with other units. Priority during the exercise will be the integration of Usage of civilian terrain offers the possibility for large scale units to operate over an indirect fire support in the brigade operations. This extensive area of unknown terrain. This gives all participants excellent opportunities to exercise will set the foundation for the oncoming develop our capabilities, from the individual soldier and marine, to unit, battalion and Swedish Army Exercise, Northern Wind. Photo: Mats Engfors brigade command. These capabilities will further, through synergy between units form a Deputy EXDIR, Colonel strong, effective fighting force capable of conducting high intensity combat operations These exercises give us the ability to, cooperatively Jonas Lotsne, Commander of the Artillery Regiment in the challenging Arctic environment. with other units develop our capabilities and become stronger! However, with these opportunities comes great re- sponsibility. We will operate with units and heavy ve- hicles in a dark, cold environment with lots of snow, icy roads and civilian traffic which makes risk as- sessment and safety actions even more important. Remember, there are no situations where we are in such a hurry that we have to take chances, be care- less or violate safety regulations! Never hesitate to slow down and reevaluate possible risks or hazards – Safety first! Photo: Mattias Hellgren To all participants, I wish you a rewarding exercise fil- EXDIR, Colonel Ulf Siverstedt, Commander of the Norrbotten led with challenges and possibilities to develop your Regiment and the Military individual capabilities and with that, the overall effec- Region Command North. tiveness of all the units. Vintersol 2018 operational stage vintersol 2018 709 710 711 712 713 finex 193:rd ranger battalion Mountain exercise live fire exercise operations in the Boden area post engagement stage kebnekaise arvidsjaur Recuperation evaluation finex 192:nd maintenance mechanized battalion preparation operational post engagement stage stage stage Recuperation boden, harads, evaluation ranger battalion finex vidsel maintenance mechanized battalion finex Refreshment artillery battalion refreshment training training 91:st artillery battalion preparation operational post engagement stage stage stage Recuperation mobilization boden, harads, evaluation vidsel maintenance Vintersol - Enhancing winter warfare capabilities Exercise Vintersol 2018 is the collective term for the Artillery Battalion’s refreshment training, Mechanized Battalion’s Final Exercise and Ranger Battalion’s Final Exercise. Vintersol is concluded with an operations stage, where offensive and defensive operations, supported by indirect fire, are carried out in both civilian and military terrain. Photo: Christian Adelbo/Swedish armed forces participating units the exercise area Vintersol 2018 has a total of approximately 1200 participants from Norrbotten The operational stage of VINTERSOL will be conducted in both civilian and Regiment, Artillery Regiment, Logistic Regiment, Land Warfare Centre, Heli- military terrain. The possibility to train in civilian terrain gives the exercise an copter Wing, Armed Forces Logistics, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and extra dimension; the ability to fight in an unknown environment, with correct Africa and various supporting units. unit depth and distance. However, with this possibility comes further re- sponsibility and extra consideration, in order for us to use these areas in the future. Show consideration to landowners, reindeer herding, the forestry and the general outdoor life. Movement in civilian areas is permitted on roads, unplowed roads and unplowed Norrbotten Regiment, I 19, participates Helicopter Wing participates with Com- pathways. with parts of 192:nd Mechanized Battalion, mand and a combined Helicopter Squ- Driving in civilian off-road terrain is only allowed in areas permitted by EXCON. parts of 193:rd Ranger Battalion, parts of adron with Helicopter 14, 15 and 16 from Third Brigade Recce Coy, Third Brigade First Helicopter Squadron in Luleå and Restriction areas are marked on maps. They may only be crossed by road. HQ, EXCON as well as evaluation personnel Second Helicopter Squadron in Linköping. Heavy vehicles shall, while driving on forest roads, use the middle of the road in from the Swedish Armed Forces Unit for order to prevent damage on culverts. Cold Weather Operations. Show consideration to the reindeer herding. Due to this year’s harsh snow and herding conditions, the overall health situation of the reindeer is reduced after months of malnutrition. When in civilian terrain it is U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and important to document and Africa participates with approximatley report all deployment areas, Harads Artillery Regiment, A 9, participates with 50 soldiers who train together with the damage, grievances etc. ac- 91:st artillery battalion, conducting refres- Swedish 192:nd Mechanized Battalion. cording to exercise orders. If hment training and live firing of approx- we wish to be welcome back imately 900 artillery grenades. in the future, we shall make right for ourselves. Logistic Regiment from Skövde partici- Lule älv pates with the Logistics Battalion, also conducting winter preparation training before the exercise starts. Armed Forces Logistics participates with the Third National Support Element. Vidsel Boden Their main task is to support the Logistics Brännberg 374 Battalion with fuel transportation and other important logistics. Land Warfare Centre in Skövde partici- Also: Swedish Defence Materiel pates with their battle training trailer that Administration - FMV supports the units Älvsbyn monitor unit movement and action during with repairs, spare parts and other ser- the exercise. vices during the exercise. Questions, damages in the terrain or concerns from the local population? contact environment and protection cell on 076-133 47 43 Mobiltelefon och andra För säkerhets skull sambandssystem Alla ska aktivt medverka till att säkerhetsbestämmelser