Ski Warfare - Other Information

Other Information

The Norwegian military have held skiing competitions since the 1670s. The sport of Biathlon was developed from military skiing patrols.

The United States ski patrol plays a vital role in the plot to the book A Separate Peace.

Many nations train troops in skiing and winter warfare, including:

• Austrian Army — Certain soldiers are trained in ski combat.
• Danish Navy — Slædepatruljen Sirius (Sirius Arctic Patrol) patrols Northern and Eastern Greenland.
• Estonian Army — Conscripts routinely receive training in skiing and other winter warfare skills.
• Finnish Army — majority of soldiers are trained in ski combat, and skiing is a part of standard required training for all conscripts.
• French Army 27th Chasseurs Alpins Brigade
• German Bundeswehr Gebirgsjäger
• Italian Army has the Alpini Corp with 16 Regiments.
• Netherlands' - Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, Korps Commandotroepen and the 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade - annual exercises taking place in the interior of Northern Norway
• Norwegian Army, every soldier is trained in ski combat.
• Polish Army 21st Podhale Rifles Brigade and elements of the 6th Air Assault Brigade.
• Romanian Land Forces - Vânători de Munte (Mountain Hunters), every soldier is trained in ski combat.
• Spain - "Brigada de Cazadores de Montaña Aragón I" (Mountain Light Infantry Brigade Aragón I), in Jaca (Huesca) with a specialized section "Compañía de Esquiadores-Escaladores" (Skiing-Climbing Company), in Jaca (Huesca).
• Slovenian army 132nd Mountain Battalion is trained in ski combat and mountain survival, Slovenian army is member of International Federation of Mountain Soldiers - IFMS. Slovenia is also a host nation for NATO's Multinational Centre of Excellence for Mountain Warfare.
• Sweden Majority of soldiers are trained in ski combat
• Switzerland's 3rd Mountain Army Corps (Corps d’armée de montagne 3)
• United Kingdom - members of the Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade are trained in alpine and cold weather warfare at facilities in Norway.
• United States - the United States Marine Corps through the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in northern California; the US Army in Alaska at the Northern Warfare Training Center and the Army Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, Vermont and the US Navy also in Alaska at Naval Special Warfare Cold Weather Detachment Kodiak.