British soldiers have joined forces with Finland’s Kainuu Brigade for challenging combat training in the icy wilderness of Finland.
Jaeger soldier from the Finnish Kainuu Brigade providing covering fire during Exercise Northern Axe on the Vuosanka training area.
Riflemen from 3 Rifles at the head of a patrol whilst on the Vuosanka training area on Exercise Northern Axe.
Leopard II tank of the Kainuu Brigade during Exercise Northern Axe on the Vuosanka training area.
Rifleman from 3 Rifles chats with a Finnish Jaeger soldier during Exercise Northern Axe on the Vuosanka training area.
Patria Armoured Personnel Carrier during Exercise Northern Axe on the Vuosanka training area.
Jaeger soldier from the Finnish Kainuu Brigade during Exercise Northern Axe on the Vuosanka training area.
Exercise Northern Axe is one of the first big training missions since Finland became a NATO member in 2023.
The exercise is taking place in the snowy Vuosanka training area, 30 miles from the Russian border.
“This is important because we have lots to learn from each other. We learn how to manage the cold weather, bring in new skills and capabilities, and develop our overall operational capacity."
The soldiers, from 3 Rifles C Company, are practising battle scenarios, including live firing attacks and defensive tactics, while dealing with freezing temperatures and challenging terrain.
Around 3,000 soldiers are taking part, including 50 from 3 Rifles, with 600 vehicles deployed.
Learning from each other
3 Rifles Company Commander, Major Henry Wootton, explained why this training is vital: “We’re out here in Finland cooperating with our newest NATO partners in order to show solidarity against potential threats.
“This is important because we have lots to learn from each other. We learn how to manage the cold weather, bring in new skills and capabilities, and develop our overall operational capacity.
“We know the threat is higher than it used to be, so we have a lot of people willing to come and refresh their skills."
“It’s a really good opportunity for us to work with a new nation.”
The Finnish Kainuu Brigade is known for its impressive training regime. Every year, they train two cohorts of conscripts, each for five and a half months, before they join the Reserve force.
Impressively, 98 out of 100 Finnish conscripts say they’re ready to defend their country if needed, with an average retirement from service age of 60.
Major Kari Sukkonen, who has served in the Kainuu Brigade for 32 years, said: “The will to defend your country is very high in Finland.
“As the Finnish military has just joined NATO, the strategic relationship is paramount. This exercise is the start of the relationship we plan to have going forward.”
“We know the threat is higher than it used to be, so we have a lot of people willing to come and refresh their skills.
“About 75% of the conscripts opt to do military service, while the other 25% choose civil service, which includes work in hospitals.”
Many European countries ended conscription service during the cold war period. Finland is one of only a few that make serving in the military a legal requirement.
Building NATO bonds
This exercise is a big step for Finland as a new NATO member. It’s all about learning to work together and building skills.
Captain Thomas Hunter from 3 Rifles said: “As the Finnish military has just joined NATO, the strategic relationship is paramount. This exercise is the start of the relationship we plan to have going forward.”
“We are proud to host 3 Rifles and work together to support one another.”
Brigadier General Ari Laaksonen, Commander of the Finnish Kainuu Brigade directs soldier during Exercise Northern Axe on the Vuosanka training area.
Brigadier General Ari Laaksonen, who is leading the exercise, added: “Since 2023 and our new partnership with NATO, we are able to enhance our interoperability.
“We are proud to host 3 Rifles and work together to support one another.”
Testing new tech and tackling the cold
The British troops are also using this opportunity to test new equipment, like the ATAK (Android Team Awareness Kit / Android Tactical Assault Kit) system.
This cutting-edge technology helps soldiers track their teammates and identify enemy positions, giving them a huge advantage in the field.
“We have loads of challenges working in this climate as a force that doesn’t operate in the snow much, and we need to take advantage of the opportunities we get.”
Commander Wootton said: “ATAK allows us to provide information advantage to friendly forces. This means we can see exactly where all our men are on exercise, giving us great situational awareness. We can also identify boundaries of where our enemies are and find routes that are safe to operate in.”
But it’s not just about technology, the freezing Finnish winter is a significant challenge. Temperatures can drop as low as -40°C, and British troops are learning how to adapt so they can be Arctic Warfare specialists, should they need to return.
Rifleman Aaron Hunter shared his experience: “I was on observation posts last night, watching one of the enemy positions for 12-14 hours.
“We have loads of challenges working in this climate as a force that doesn’t operate in the snow much, and we need to take advantage of the opportunities we get.”
“Being on exercise in Finland is good. It’s challenging and cold, it’s about -2°C now, but we just did some training further north in Sodankyla where it was -28°C, so we’re getting used to it now.”
To keep warm, the soldiers are eating arctic ration packs, packed with 5,000 calories as they burn 500 calories a day just staying warm.
Rifleman James Whittingham said: “Being on exercise in Finland is good. It’s challenging and cold, it’s about -2°C now, but we just did some training further north in Sodankyla where it was -28°C, so we’re getting used to it now.
“The Finns have also helped us with our skiing skills. Being based in the UK, we don’t often get the chance to practise, so they’ve been giving us some pointers. They’re the professionals when it comes to cold weather.”
The British troops will wrap up their arctic training in mid-December, just as a new group of Finnish conscripts begins their journey in the new year, with the relationship between the two nations continuing to strengthen.
