Winter Operations

[recce_o]

All,

I just got back from a few days in the field and hope to stir up some controversy with the following which is a partial re-post from the equipment page:

The basic unit in Canada for winter warfare is 5 men (half a section). This is because we use a five man arctic tent in extreme cold weather conditions. The tent, extra ammo, a stove, rations, water jerry (usually frozen), shovel, cam net, snow saw, axe etc... etc... get packed up on a tobaggan and two guys take turns pulling it, with one steering at the rear. Each man carries his own rucksack (although I've seen some NCO's have the tobaggan crew put their ruck's on the toboggan)

Now, first of all, winter rucksacks are heavy to begin with. You need all kinds of stuff you wouldn't otherwise require in warm weather (heavy duty sleeping bag etc). But then, when you add up all of the other team kit you require, the loads become almost too much. My guys only had to move all this kit a few kilometers, but the snow was deep and the tobaggan kept tipping. By the end they were bagged.

All this leads me to question to utility of small unit operations in winter warfare conditions. In my opinion, the problem of equipment limitations has to be dealt with on a tactical level. We have to adjust our tactics to suit the environment. It is very similar to the Bravo 2-0 situation. It was almost impossible to operate in the barren desert of Iraq without vehicles. The failure of Bravo 2-0, along with the success that mounted patrols experienced is evidence of this.

Likewise, in extreme cold weather, it is very difficult to operate in small units in the dismounted role. You need enough men to establish sufficient security to give enough warning of enemy contact for the rest of the element to react because reaction time is substantially delayed in the winter. You also need vehicles to facilitate the transport of all the kit that is required just to survive
in the cold.

Any thoughts?

[jeff]

Every year I wonder the same thoughts. In our unit we have snowmobiles for some teams...while they are nice in thinly vegatated areas in the steeps and deep snows they can be dangerous. We've used a "pulk" sled, which has a rigid frame and can carry two mens equipment. Usually our small teams will check their back trail occasionally by various means then dig into the snow for shelter, snow permitting, or put up a small dome tent. The rucks do get heavy in the winter and there is no way around it. Sucks to be us. I do believe there is a role for small unit operations in the winter, especially in the mountains and wooded area, vehicles and such just can't get there and you can see forever. Of course a snowstorm to hide your trail is always nice. Have a good one.

[Tracy]

Recce:

Warfare in the Artic is by mutual consent; specifically for the reasons you cite.

I believe there's role for up to regimental-sized operations in artic enviroments. I do know that the Norweigians and Finns do artic ops with very low-tech equipment; and get very good results. The Trolls do Battalion-sized ops up in Bodo with Brigade North.

I too strongly recommend using Norweigian Pulks. One man can pull a LOT of squad equipment and rucks. A pulk works by using two metal bars (2 meters long) that hook on either side of the front of a sled. The other ends are attached to hip point on a big weightlifting belt that goes around the puller's hips. A pulk is usually slightly wider than shoulder width and 2-3 meters long.

Two skiers go in front of the pulk and break trail by leaving only three 'tracks'; the middle track is shared by both skier's inside ski. Two skiers go behind the pulk and provide pushing power with their ski poles as required. The pulk is about three ski tracks wide; hence the three-track requirement in front. Some guys break trail with a four-track system.

I usually was the Pulk man on our team and it's a helluva lot easier to use and tow; vice ahkios and sleds. The bad thing about a rope-tow system, is the bouncing and slack you get when pulling one. With two people pulling on ropes, you can NEVER get them to both pull simultaneously with the same pressure. With asymetrical pulling, the sled moves side-to-side; veering into unbroken snow, which in turn produces more drag. Pulks don't flip as easily because of the more-rigid connection between the sled and puller.

The two most important pieces of equipment on a Pulk are the quick-release on the belt; and the drag rope hooked between the metal bars. The drag rope is a 10-15mm diameter rope that goes UNDER the sled when you go down hill. Each end is tied to the metal hinges on the sled and forms an elongated 'U' underneath. It acts as a trough and catches snow; thus producing a LOT of drag. This is a good thing when going down hill. Once you're on level ground back the pulk up and flop the rope on top of the sled.

I can go all day with a Pulk (with the drag rope up!), but sleds kill me inside of 5-6 kilometers.

Long-winded soapbox; but cold-weather operations are relevant and necessary. It could be your equipment is what taking all the 'fun' out of artic ops. 8-)

[Mike]

The airborne unit in Alaska (I think they're the 501st) trained for winter warfare yearound. There is an article about the Army Alaska Command in the February 2000 issue of Army Magazine.

[Tracy]

Whiskey8:

I agree with you, ALPINE warfare requires ALPINE techniques. When I was at Bad Tolz, we spent 6 weeks in Norway, followed by 6 weeks in Austria with the Jaegers; every winter. The more experienced personnel went to the German Gebergtruppen instead of Austria.

Although we did have some limited success wrestling a pulk auf-piste (aka 'log-jamming'); as well as in mountains. Gave me a new-found respect for the Berg Wacht guys with their ski litters.

The technique we finally up with was to keep the rucks on our backs; and put the crew tent, extra supplies, and Class V on the pulk.

[Ken]

Do you have experiencies about sleeping in snow caves or do you know any alpine troops which uses snow caves as shelters instead of tents? Finnish special forces uses caves in deep snow areas.

[MARK92A]

Ken,

Snow caves are great, as long as they are properly built. I have slept in one on numerous occasions while on FTXs in Vermont. All you need is snow, snowshoes, and a shovel. For warmth, we used a candle (dont laugh it works) and blocked the door with a large ruck. All we fitted inside was 4 soldiers with sleeping bags and our weapons. Everything else was outside on our Akiho. On one occasion it was -50 with a windchill that made it more like -80, and we were warm with a sleeping pad and extreme cold weather bag, both the old style ones.
Snow caves work, but it takes time and ebergy to build a good one.

--Mark

[Ken]

Mark,
The candle acts also as carbondioxide alarm system: if the candle`s flame goes out, it`s time to improve ventilation.

Take care!

[MARK92A]

Ken,

Ken, yes it does that also. I forgot to mention to take a ski pole and poke a hole in the cave to keep some airexchange going. A few minutes with a small stove fired up inside will ice over the inside walls and make the snow cave even stronger..

--Mark

[Mike]

wool socks and a wool watchcap will help too.

[Ken]

From snow caves back to the original topic.. http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/smile.gif
Recce_o questions about utility of small units operations in winter warfare conditions.
In my opinion winter warfare is favourable to small units which know the enviroment and against to mechanized hi-tech opponent.

I`ll generally talk about heavily wooded arctic terrain.
The winter and snow canalize movement of heavy vehicles, when there is enough snow tanks` movement is seriously hampered or even stopped and snow covers possible hazards like swamps or ponds.

The mechanized army needs a lot of supply and supply roads are very vulnerable at winter. There are just technical problems like starting engines, ploughing roads open from snow, maybe icy roads, vehicles are hard to maintain etc.
Again there is canalized movement, if one vehicle is destroyed it efficiently blocks the road due to high snow banks.

The artic day is very short and this with normal lousy weather causes problems to tactical aviation. Snow causes also whiteout which is problem with helicopter take offs and landings. Again copters have same problems as vehicles: batteries die fast, icing, difficult to maintain etc.

When the lakes froze, small units mobility will increase, with skis soldier can move on thin ice which wouldn`t carry snowmobiles or tracked vehicles.

Highly trained units can use the enviroment against lesser trained troops: Anyone can use snowshoes but these are much slower than skis which need much more training. When there is bad weather(tac aviation can`t fly) the pursuit force against special forces unit is slow or doesn`t exist!
Yes, skis leaves tracks which are easy to follow and move but anti-personnel mine now and then will slow down the pursuit force. And bad weather(falling snow) quickly hide the tracks.
Yes, the cold weather is problem to anyone, but is much more a problem to unseasoned and not so well trained troops.

When working behind enemy lines, prepared caches are much easier to make&camouflage.
When in mountaineous terrain, there is a tactical use of avalanches against enemy forces and supply roads.

Snipers causes much more problems at winter: when sniper pinned your platoon down at summer, you have a problem. But when sniper pinned your platoon down at winter you have a serious problem, because frostbites and hypothermia are going to take toll.

The snow also gives additional protection by "muffing" down the effects of artillery, bombs, CBU and incendiary weapons.

Yes, the man with skis is slower than snowmobile but much more silent. Snowmobiles are easy to ambush in wooded terrain.

Well, here is a few of things that came to my mind about defending small units/low-tech operations at winter.

[This message has been edited by Ken (edited 04-06-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Ken (edited 04-06-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Ken (edited 04-06-2000).]

[Cree Warrior]

If you want a good read on Arctic Ops, read "Polar Assault". Its about the Canadian / Russian duo that walked/ski'd UNSUPPORTED from northern Canada to the north pole and back. Talk about an extreme small unit op.
Recce O,
I think what makes our winter indoc training so abismal in Canada, is our equipement. One would think that we would have excellent winter kit and warfare skills, however they suck! We are still issued with 100% cotton long john's, no goretex, old tarred wood ski's, etc. etc. Most of the people in my unit suppliment our kit with "Canadian (self)issue MEC kit".
I am by no means a winter warfare god, but our small unit tactics are lackluster at best. When you have an army that cannot afford winter rations (last year in western Canada all winter Ex's were hot meal cuz the army ran out of rats) the training can only suffer.
On a positive note,our Arctic Rangers have to be some of the best soldiers in the world as far as using Indigenous warfare doctrine and living off the land.

Sua Sponte



[This message has been edited by Cree Warrior (edited 04-06-2000).]

[recce_o]

Cree Warrior:

I agree 100%. When I asked my troops what the IA drill was for a contact when they have the toboggan, they just stood there with their mouths open in silence. Then a 20 minute debate ensure between my troop WO, me and a couple switched on MCpl's. After we got back from the field I dug out the winter warfare pam. It offered no guidance. Our doctrine and tactics need a lot of work! Re. kit... I couldn't agree more. MEC is going to give me a life-time achievement award for single handedly keeping their Toronto store in business.

Ken:

Thanks for the thought provoking point. Let me think about them.

[Ken]

Cree Warrior:
I can live without Gore-tex, but tarred skis, WOW! They need a lot of mainteanance...
100% cotton long johns are O.K. when they aren`t next to skin, cotton feel very unpleasant when sweaty and when sweating wintertime, soon comes the feeling of cold... Polypropylene underwear is must for winter operations.

Guys, what kind of mittens/gloves philosophy/solutions do you have?
I use either thin wool gloves or nomex gloves within clumsy(but so warm...) mittens, it`s much more pleasant to fiddle gun, trigger or radio with thin gloves than with bare hands when there is something happening.
Where to put mittens when there is action and you have to feel trigger with thinner gloves? Mittens disappear very easily...I`ve been so many times searching my mittens from snow at night... it`s not nice to ski 20 miles after losing mitten. One solution is to attach mitten somehow to sleeve(loop&button etc.) When the mitten is loose enough, I just swing my hand and mitten is hanging from sleeve and nomex or similar thin glove is on gun grip instantly.

[jbrookins]

Ken I go with the thin wool glove inside an nice mitten . To keep from losing them use a string between the mittens running though your sleeves or a wrist cord to mitten. Gives you the flexability to remove mittens in a hurry and then replace. I don't like the large commercial glove. In arctic conditions they are just not warm enough.

[MARK92A]

All,

I find the GI snot wipers AKA extreme cold mittens with the fur on the back are excellent for an outer mitten. I wear the anti contact gloves or wool inserts with the ECW mittens. They work great, and allready have the dummy cord on them.. Just try to get a new pair from supply. There is a reason they call them snot wipers..

[This message has been edited by MARK92A (edited 04-07-2000).]

[Ken]

I found a web page where is an example what highly trained small ski units can do against mechanized enemy with air superiority, but without mobility or knowledge about arctic enviroment or tactics.
I know, this is a rather old anecdote, but then weren`t Gore-tex, polypropylene or snowmobiles...
There is a lot of historical stuff, the main point is in the middle of the text.
http://www.kaiku.com/winterwar.html