Article — NATO Soldiers Say They Can’t Let Their Guns Get Too Warm if They Want Them to Work on Frozen Battlefields There are landscapes that test more than endurance — they test invention, patience and, sometimes, the very tools of warfare themselves. In the remote reaches of northern Finland, well above the Arctic Circle, NATO soldiers are learning this lesson the hard way as part of an intensive winter warfare training course. In the biting cold of Lapland, where temperatures routinely plunge well below zero, even dependable rifles and optics confront a new adversary: the cold itself.

In this Arctic crucible, soldiers quickly discovered that keeping weapons warm — ordinarily a sign of readiness — can actually undermine their functioning. When a rifle or other firearm warms and then cools rapidly, it can draw in moisture. That moisture freezes in mechanisms and crevices, creating ice that can jam actions or render triggers and sights unreliable. For troops expecting to rely on precision and survivability, even small freezes can have outsized consequences on the battlefield.

Maj. Mikael Aikio of the Finnish Army’s Jaeger Brigade, which is leading the course for roughly 20 NATO soldiers, explained that the goal in these conditions is to keep weapons dry and as close to the ambient cold as possible rather than exposing them to warmth that encourages condensation. Even snow that melts can bring water into sensitive parts, and when that water refreezes it can be the difference between a functioning firearm and a frozen one.

Soldiers have adopted unorthodox habits to manage this. Some carry small brushes to clear snow from barrels and optics. Others keep weapons in designated cold areas of shelters rather than near heaters or heated tents, where condensation would later refreeze on metal parts. Firing a chillingly cold gun itself can be a challenge, since bulky gloves are often too unwieldy for pull‑weight triggers, leaving hands exposed to frigid metal.

These technical nuances — seemingly small in isolation — underscore how profoundly environment shapes combat readiness. The Arctic course isn’t just about basic survival; it’s about mastering operational nuances in a terrain that can blunt even well‑maintained equipment. NATO’s growing focus on Arctic readiness reflects strategic concerns as rival powers increase their presence in the northern reaches, where frozen battlefields may one day be real theaters of conflict rather than training grounds.

In that sense, the lesson is timeless: a soldier’s skill does not rest solely in marksmanship or fortitude, but in understanding how the world around them alters every tool they carry. On frozen battlefields, that means treating warmth not as comfort, but as a variable that must be carefully managed lest it turn a weapon into an unwitting liability.

AI Image Disclaimer Illustrations were produced with AI and serve as conceptual depictions.

Sources Business Insider via NATO Arctic training report