The Mountain Troops Command concludes its training for 'Cold Response 26'

Instrucción en Cerler

The units of the “América” Mountain Infantry Regiment No. 66 (Regimiento de Infantería de Cazadores de Montaña “América”, RICZM No. 66), assigned to the Mountain Troops Command (Mando de Tropas de Montaña, MTM), which will take part in the NATO exercise “Cold Response 26,” completed their training period in Cerler (Huesca) in late January and are now finalizing preparations for their participation in these maneuvers, scheduled to take place in March in northern Norway.

Led by the Norwegian Army, “Cold Response 26” is a demanding multinational exercise to which only allied countries with proven capabilities to operate in extreme cold conditions are invited. To this end, the MTM brings together units that are organized, equipped, and trained to provide a unique capability within the Spanish Armed Forces: the ability to live, move, and fight in mountainous terrain and under extreme cold weather conditions.

Movement and combat in extreme cold conditions

In the mountains of Cerler, personnel from RICZM No. 66 carried out training and instruction activities focused on mobility over ice and snow, survival and combat in extreme cold conditions, and the employment of specific equipment and specialized vehicles, such as tracked mountain transport vehicles, sleds, and snowmobiles.

These activities make it possible to realistically replicate the conditions that Spanish personnel will encounter during “Cold Response 26,” ensuring that they achieve the necessary levels of physical and technical adaptation to operate effectively in a subarctic environment, as well as their full integration into multinational structures.

The MTM prepares for “Cold Response 26”

Spanish participation also represents a significant logistical challenge which, from the adaptation of assets and equipment to extreme winter conditions to the strategic deployment of forces and their sustainment in remote areas, requires detailed planning, constant coordination, and a high degree of self-sufficiency in a fully multinational environment.