(C) NATO This story was originally published by NATO and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Operational Readiness Across Cold-Weather and High-Altitude Environments [1] ['Paolo Giordano'] Date: 2026-07-28 20:28:05+00:00 Testing Technology Where It Will Be Used Equipment designed for more forgiving environments can behave very differently in extreme cold or high terrain. Reliable performance depends on testing under the conditions that expose weaknesses early. The Cold Weather Operations Centre of Excellence created HEIMDALL as an innovation arena in the Norwegian Arctic. During the 2026 pilot, military operators, researchers, engineers, and industry tested autonomous systems above, on, and below the surface of snow-covered fjords. The activity examined data fusion, interoperability, and the ability of unmanned systems to deliver useful information to military users in severe weather. The trials showed how quickly the environment can reshape a technical problem. Rough seas and high winds complicated launch and recovery. Cold reduced battery endurance and increased storage requirements. Personnel preparing and controlling the systems faced the same exposure as the equipment. These findings help developers and operators refine technology, procedures, and expectations before systems are introduced more widely. The Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence is testing many of the same technologies against a different set of constraints. Through its SkyEdge project, the Centre has examined uncrewed systems for reconnaissance, logistics, and force protection in steep and high-altitude terrain. Experiments found reduced endurance and degraded communications in narrow valleys, while cargo-delivery trials demonstrated the value of uncrewed resupply for isolated positions where vehicles may be unable to move safely. The Centre has also tested passive and active exoskeletons to assess their effect on endurance, mobility, and load carriage during mountain operations. Early results showed potential during long ascents, while exposing practical limits related to climbing, battery life, and compatibility with military mountaineering equipment. Its cooperation with NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic gives companies and researchers access to operational expertise and terrain suited to realistic testing. Both Centres carry these lessons beyond individual experiments. Results feed into courses, doctrine, wargaming, and capability discussions so that technical findings can inform how forces train, plan, and operate. Preparing People and Plans Readiness also depends on shared knowledge. Commanders, planners, infrastructure specialists, and capability developers need to understand how cold, altitude, terrain, and environmental change interact across an operation. That shared understanding is especially important in the High North, where strategic awareness and practical cold-weather expertise must inform one another. The Cold Weather Operations Centre of Excellence and the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies jointly deliver the NATO in the North course. The programme combines NATO’s strategic framework with practical cold-weather expertise and brings together military and security professionals from across the Alliance. Its second iteration in April 2026 included 90 participants from 14 nations, strengthening regional awareness, Allied relationships, and a common approach to Arctic planning. The Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence takes a similarly practical approach through its education, workshops, battlefield studies, and wargaming. Lessons from experimentation are incorporated into training so that personnel can examine how new systems, difficult terrain, and contested logistics affect operations before facing those problems in the field. The Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence adds the longer-term planning perspective. Its courses help military personnel, policymakers, and civilian experts account for climate-related risk in operational analysis, infrastructure decisions, resilience assessments, and capability development. The Centre is also working to standardize terminology through its Climate Security Glossary, supporting clearer communication across military, policy, scientific, and civilian communities. Its Montreal Climate Security Summit, Community of Practice, fellowship programme, and analytical publications broaden that exchange. These activities connect military experience with research, policy, and industry expertise, helping NATO and its nations turn environmental awareness into decisions about investment, adaptation, and preparedness. Readiness Shaped by the Environment Cold-weather and high-altitude operations expose weaknesses quickly. A communications system that fails in a valley, a battery that loses power in Arctic temperatures, or a supply route that cannot support dispersed forces can shape the outcome of an operation before combat begins. The three Centres approach these risks from distinct directions. The Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence focuses on terrain, force employment, and technology in high-altitude environments. The Cold Weather Operations Centre of Excellence tests people, procedures, and systems against the harsh realities of Arctic conditions. The Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence helps NATO anticipate how those conditions may evolve and what that means for infrastructure, resilience, planning, and future capabilities. Their work gives the Alliance a stronger basis for action: a clearer understanding of the environment, better-prepared personnel, and capabilities tested against the conditions in which they may have to perform. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.act.nato.int/article/2026-coe-arctic/ Published and (C) by NATO Content appears here under this condition or license: in acordance with "Requirements for the external use of NATO content.". via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/nato/