13 – New Operational Possibilities in Mountain Warfare
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13.1 – Cargo UAVs and Mountain Warfare: New prospects for Sustainment and Mobility
Among the many applications of unmanned systems, Cargo UAVs (Cargo Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) represent one of the capabilities with the highest transformational potential for mountain operations. While much of the doctrinal and public attention is focused on ISR drones, FPV systems, and strike platforms, the use of unmanned aerial systems for logistical transport may have an equally significant impact on the operational effectiveness of mountain units.
Historically, logistics has been one of the principal limiting factors in mountain warfare. Difficult access, steep terrain, limited infrastructure, vulnerable supply routes, and rapidly changing weather conditions have consistently imposed significant constraints on mobility and sustainment operations.
In this context, Cargo UAVs should not be viewed merely as a technological alternative to traditional means of transport. Rather, they represent a capability capable of creating entirely new operational possibilities. By reducing dependence on ground lines of communication, minimizing personnel exposure, increasing the frequency of resupply missions, and supporting isolated units in otherwise inaccessible areas, Cargo UAVs have the potential to fundamentally reshape military logistics in mountainous terrain.
Recent experimentation conducted by the NATO MW COE during the NATO EXE Triglav Star has demonstrated that cargo UAVs are capable to reduce the impact of logistic operations of 90%, in terms of time (time to resupply from hours to minutes) and personnel need to transport materials/resupply.
The most significant aspect of Cargo UAVs is not simply their ability to replace existing logistical platforms, but their potential to create entirely new operational options. In this chapter we will just examine some ideas come out from our workshops/studies.
Cargo UAVs enable the simultaneous support of multiple small and dispersed units across the battlespace. Instead of concentrating logistics along a limited number of vulnerable supply routes, sustainment can be distributed through numerous independent aerial connections.
This supports the broader trend toward distributed operations and decentralized force employment and will bring to a big reduction in logistic vulnerability. It is a matter of facts that logistical operations have traditionally represented one of the most vulnerable aspects of military activity. The employment of Cargo UAVs reduces personnel exposure, dependence on ground convoys, vulnerability of supply routes and reliance on manned helicopter missions.
This is particularly important in environments characterized by persistent observation and rapid targeting cycles.
Another important aspect is the concept of point-to-point logistics. Micro-UAVs with limited payload capacity can be employed as individual delivery systems, providing direct resupply to a single soldier. In other words, logistics can be tailored to the immediate needs of an individual on the battlefield, delivering the right resources at the right time and place.
This represents a fundamental shift in the traditional logistics paradigm and should be considered in the design of future Battle Management Systems (BMS) for tactical units.
In Mountain Warfare, point-to-point resupply (support to distributed operation in a compartmented terrain) has the potential to be a true game changer. It could enable small teams to operate independently for extended periods in remote and inaccessible terrain, reducing their logistical footprint while significantly increasing endurance, flexibility, and operational reach.
In this context of point-to-point logistics enabled by UAVs, medical support can be fundamentally redesigned, allowing critical supplies such as blood products, medications, medical equipment, and even diagnostic tools to be delivered directly to the point of need. This capability has the potential to reduce treatment delays, extend the reach of medical support in austere and remote environments, and significantly improve casualty survivability, particularly in Mountain Warfare operations where traditional evacuation and resupply routes may be limited or unavailable.
The emergence of UAV-enabled soldier-centric logistics represents a paradigm shift from unit-based resupply to individualized sustainment, where supplies are delivered directly to the soldier based on real-time operational needs.
Cargo UAVs are likely to represent one of the most transformative capabilities for mountain warfare over the coming decade. While they are unlikely to completely replace helicopters or ground vehicles, they offer the potential to create a more resilient, distributed, and less vulnerable logistical network. In particular, the combination of multirotor systems for short-range tactical sustainment and long-range VTOL platforms for operational-level logistics could fundamentally alter the way mountain units are supplied, sustained, and supported during operations.
In this sense, Cargo UAVs should not be regarded simply as a new logistical platform. They should be understood as enablers of new operational concepts, directly contributing to mobility, survivability, operational endurance, and freedom of maneuver in some of the most challenging environments faced by modern military forces.
13.2. Environmental Intelligence in Snow- and Ice-Dominated Environments
One of the least explored yet potentially most transformative applications of unmanned systems in mountain and Arctic warfare is their ability to generate detailed environmental intelligence regarding snow- and ice-covered terrain. While UAVs are commonly associated with reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting, and strike missions, recent technological developments demonstrate that they can also function as advanced terrain intelligence platforms capable of providing information that directly influences mobility, survivability, sustainment, force protection, and operational planning.
This capability is particularly relevant in northern and mountainous regions, where snow and ice are not merely environmental features but operational variables that can significantly affect the conduct of military operations. In such environments, understanding terrain conditions often determines where forces can move, how they can be sustained, which routes can be used safely, and whether specific operations are feasible at all.
Countries with extensive Arctic and sub-Arctic territories—including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Greenland, and the United States (Alaska)—have increasingly employed UAV systems to monitor snowpacks, glaciers, frozen lakes, rivers, sea ice, and ice-covered fjords. Initially developed for scientific, meteorological, hydrological, and environmental applications, many of these technologies are now attracting growing military interest due to their ability to support operational decision-making in extreme environments.
Traditionally, the assessment of snow and ice conditions relied on field surveys, manual probing, drilling operations, snow pits, specialized vehicles, and personnel operating directly within potentially hazardous terrain. Although these methods remain valuable, they are labour-intensive, geographically limited, time-consuming, and often expose personnel to unnecessary risk.
Unmanned systems offer a fundamentally different approach. Rather than collecting information at isolated points, UAVs can generate high-resolution, large-area assessments capable of providing near real-time understanding of environmental conditions across entire operational sectors.
13.2.1 – Lessons from the Siege of Leningrad
The logistical operations conducted across the frozen surface of Lake Ladoga during the Siege of Leningrad (1941–1944) represent an early example of environmental intelligence applied to sustainment and mobility in extreme climatic conditions. Although the concept of Environmental Intelligence (EI) had not yet been formally developed, Soviet forces relied extensively on the continuous collection, interpretation, and operational exploitation of environmental data to maintain the so-called “Road of Life,” the only viable supply route connecting the besieged city with Soviet-controlled territory.
Engineers and military personnel conducted regular measurements of ice thickness along potential routes, recognizing that the mere presence of ice did not guarantee sufficient load-bearing capacity. Particular attention was paid to local variations in ice strength, hidden fractures, and areas affected by snow accumulation or changing environmental conditions. Route selection was therefore based on continuous assessment rather than on fixed geographical considerations. As a result, the safest route was often not the shortest one, and supply corridors were repeatedly modified in response to evolving environmental conditions.
The Lake Ladoga operation demonstrates how environmental observation can become a decisive enabler of military mobility and sustainment in cold-weather environments. Continuous monitoring, route optimization, adaptive planning, phased reconnaissance, and the integration of environmental data into decision-making processes allowed Soviet forces to maintain a critical logistical lifeline under exceptionally challenging conditions. These principles remain relevant today and provide a historical precedent for modern applications of environmental intelligence in cold-weather, Arctic, and mountain warfare operations.
13.2.2 – Snow and Ice Assessment Capabilities: a new approach to Research and Development
Modern UAV systems can support the monitoring and assessment of:
sea, lake, river, and fjord ice thickness;
seasonal ice formation and degradation;
snow depth and snow distribution;
snowpack density and internal structure;
snow water equivalent (SWE);
wind-driven snow accumulation patterns;
avalanche-prone terrain;
crevasses, cavities, and weak layers;
trafficability of frozen routes;
snow and ice bearing capacity;
mobility corridors for personnel and vehicles;
environmental hazards affecting military operations.
These capabilities become particularly valuable in mountain and Arctic environments where terrain conditions can change rapidly and where inaccurate assessments may directly affect operational effectiveness and force protection. If there are no such capabilities, Mountain Troops should dedicate resources for Research and Development. This highlighted once again the critical importance of a close cooperation among military forces and civilian company in the development of tailored product. We need to change this paradigm too.
13.2.3 – Military Relevance and New Operational Possibilities
From a military perspective, these developments represent far more than an improvement in environmental monitoring.
They illustrate how unmanned systems are expanding the concept of intelligence itself.
Traditionally, snow and ice were treated primarily as environmental constraints that had to be assessed through direct observation and field measurements. UAV-enabled environmental intelligence transforms them into measurable, mappable, and continuously monitored operational variables.
This creates entirely new operational possibilities. Commanders may increasingly gain access to near real-time information regarding:
terrain trafficability;
avalanche risk;
frozen-route viability;
snow and ice bearing capacity;
environmental hazards;
mobility corridors;
sustainment routes;
route optimization opportunities.
Such information can directly influence maneuver planning, force protection, sustainment operations, reconnaissance activities, and operational decision-making.
In mountain and Arctic warfare, where environmental conditions frequently determine the feasibility of military operations, this capability represents a significant shift. Mountain Troops should invest and innovate more on such technologies.
Rather than simply improving existing reconnaissance processes, unmanned systems are enabling a new form of terrain intelligence in which snow and ice become continuously monitored operational variables. This development expands situational awareness beyond the enemy and toward the environment itself, creating new opportunities for mobility, survivability, sustainment, and operational effectiveness in some of the most demanding environments on Earth.
13 – New Operational Possibilities in Mountain Warfare
13.1 – Cargo UAVs and Mountain Warfare: New prospects for Sustainment and Mobility
Among the many applications of unmanned systems, Cargo UAVs (Cargo Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) represent one of the capabilities with the highest transformational potential for mountain operations. While much of the doctrinal and public attention is focused on ISR drones, FPV systems, and strike platforms, the use of unmanned aerial systems for logistical transport may have an equally significant impact on the operational effectiveness of mountain units.
Historically, logistics has been one of the principal limiting factors in mountain warfare. Difficult access, steep terrain, limited infrastructure, vulnerable supply routes, and rapidly changing weather conditions have consistently imposed significant constraints on mobility and sustainment operations.
In this context, Cargo UAVs should not be viewed merely as a technological alternative to traditional means of transport. Rather, they represent a capability capable of creating entirely new operational possibilities. By reducing dependence on ground lines of communication, minimizing personnel exposure, increasing the frequency of resupply missions, and supporting isolated units in otherwise inaccessible areas, Cargo UAVs have the potential to fundamentally reshape military logistics in mountainous terrain.
Recent experimentation conducted by the NATO MW COE during the NATO EXE Triglav Star has demonstrated that cargo UAVs are capable to reduce the impact of logistic operations of 90%, in terms of time (time to resupply from hours to minutes) and personnel need to transport materials/resupply.
The most significant aspect of Cargo UAVs is not simply their ability to replace existing logistical platforms, but their potential to create entirely new operational options. In this chapter we will just examine some ideas come out from our workshops/studies.
Cargo UAVs enable the simultaneous support of multiple small and dispersed units across the battlespace. Instead of concentrating logistics along a limited number of vulnerable supply routes, sustainment can be distributed through numerous independent aerial connections.
This supports the broader trend toward distributed operations and decentralized force employment and will bring to a big reduction in logistic vulnerability. It is a matter of facts that logistical operations have traditionally represented one of the most vulnerable aspects of military activity. The employment of Cargo UAVs reduces personnel exposure, dependence on ground convoys, vulnerability of supply routes and reliance on manned helicopter missions.
This is particularly important in environments characterized by persistent observation and rapid targeting cycles.
Another important aspect is the concept of point-to-point logistics. Micro-UAVs with limited payload capacity can be employed as individual delivery systems, providing direct resupply to a single soldier. In other words, logistics can be tailored to the immediate needs of an individual on the battlefield, delivering the right resources at the right time and place.
This represents a fundamental shift in the traditional logistics paradigm and should be considered in the design of future Battle Management Systems (BMS) for tactical units.
In Mountain Warfare, point-to-point resupply (support to distributed operation in a compartmented terrain) has the potential to be a true game changer. It could enable small teams to operate independently for extended periods in remote and inaccessible terrain, reducing their logistical footprint while significantly increasing endurance, flexibility, and operational reach.
In this context of point-to-point logistics enabled by UAVs, medical support can be fundamentally redesigned, allowing critical supplies such as blood products, medications, medical equipment, and even diagnostic tools to be delivered directly to the point of need. This capability has the potential to reduce treatment delays, extend the reach of medical support in austere and remote environments, and significantly improve casualty survivability, particularly in Mountain Warfare operations where traditional evacuation and resupply routes may be limited or unavailable.
The emergence of UAV-enabled soldier-centric logistics represents a paradigm shift from unit-based resupply to individualized sustainment, where supplies are delivered directly to the soldier based on real-time operational needs.
Cargo UAVs are likely to represent one of the most transformative capabilities for mountain warfare over the coming decade. While they are unlikely to completely replace helicopters or ground vehicles, they offer the potential to create a more resilient, distributed, and less vulnerable logistical network. In particular, the combination of multirotor systems for short-range tactical sustainment and long-range VTOL platforms for operational-level logistics could fundamentally alter the way mountain units are supplied, sustained, and supported during operations.
In this sense, Cargo UAVs should not be regarded simply as a new logistical platform. They should be understood as enablers of new operational concepts, directly contributing to mobility, survivability, operational endurance, and freedom of maneuver in some of the most challenging environments faced by modern military forces.
13.2. Environmental Intelligence in Snow- and Ice-Dominated Environments
One of the least explored yet potentially most transformative applications of unmanned systems in mountain and Arctic warfare is their ability to generate detailed environmental intelligence regarding snow- and ice-covered terrain. While UAVs are commonly associated with reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting, and strike missions, recent technological developments demonstrate that they can also function as advanced terrain intelligence platforms capable of providing information that directly influences mobility, survivability, sustainment, force protection, and operational planning.
This capability is particularly relevant in northern and mountainous regions, where snow and ice are not merely environmental features but operational variables that can significantly affect the conduct of military operations. In such environments, understanding terrain conditions often determines where forces can move, how they can be sustained, which routes can be used safely, and whether specific operations are feasible at all.
Countries with extensive Arctic and sub-Arctic territories—including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Greenland, and the United States (Alaska)—have increasingly employed UAV systems to monitor snowpacks, glaciers, frozen lakes, rivers, sea ice, and ice-covered fjords. Initially developed for scientific, meteorological, hydrological, and environmental applications, many of these technologies are now attracting growing military interest due to their ability to support operational decision-making in extreme environments.
Traditionally, the assessment of snow and ice conditions relied on field surveys, manual probing, drilling operations, snow pits, specialized vehicles, and personnel operating directly within potentially hazardous terrain. Although these methods remain valuable, they are labour-intensive, geographically limited, time-consuming, and often expose personnel to unnecessary risk.
Unmanned systems offer a fundamentally different approach. Rather than collecting information at isolated points, UAVs can generate high-resolution, large-area assessments capable of providing near real-time understanding of environmental conditions across entire operational sectors.
13.2.1 – Lessons from the Siege of Leningrad
The logistical operations conducted across the frozen surface of Lake Ladoga during the Siege of Leningrad (1941–1944) represent an early example of environmental intelligence applied to sustainment and mobility in extreme climatic conditions. Although the concept of Environmental Intelligence (EI) had not yet been formally developed, Soviet forces relied extensively on the continuous collection, interpretation, and operational exploitation of environmental data to maintain the so-called “Road of Life,” the only viable supply route connecting the besieged city with Soviet-controlled territory.
Engineers and military personnel conducted regular measurements of ice thickness along potential routes, recognizing that the mere presence of ice did not guarantee sufficient load-bearing capacity. Particular attention was paid to local variations in ice strength, hidden fractures, and areas affected by snow accumulation or changing environmental conditions. Route selection was therefore based on continuous assessment rather than on fixed geographical considerations. As a result, the safest route was often not the shortest one, and supply corridors were repeatedly modified in response to evolving environmental conditions.
The Lake Ladoga operation demonstrates how environmental observation can become a decisive enabler of military mobility and sustainment in cold-weather environments. Continuous monitoring, route optimization, adaptive planning, phased reconnaissance, and the integration of environmental data into decision-making processes allowed Soviet forces to maintain a critical logistical lifeline under exceptionally challenging conditions. These principles remain relevant today and provide a historical precedent for modern applications of environmental intelligence in cold-weather, Arctic, and mountain warfare operations.
13.2.2 – Snow and Ice Assessment Capabilities: a new approach to Research and Development
Modern UAV systems can support the monitoring and assessment of:
These capabilities become particularly valuable in mountain and Arctic environments where terrain conditions can change rapidly and where inaccurate assessments may directly affect operational effectiveness and force protection. If there are no such capabilities, Mountain Troops should dedicate resources for Research and Development. This highlighted once again the critical importance of a close cooperation among military forces and civilian company in the development of tailored product. We need to change this paradigm too.
13.2.3 – Military Relevance and New Operational Possibilities
From a military perspective, these developments represent far more than an improvement in environmental monitoring.
They illustrate how unmanned systems are expanding the concept of intelligence itself.
Traditionally, snow and ice were treated primarily as environmental constraints that had to be assessed through direct observation and field measurements. UAV-enabled environmental intelligence transforms them into measurable, mappable, and continuously monitored operational variables.
This creates entirely new operational possibilities. Commanders may increasingly gain access to near real-time information regarding:
Such information can directly influence maneuver planning, force protection, sustainment operations, reconnaissance activities, and operational decision-making.
In mountain and Arctic warfare, where environmental conditions frequently determine the feasibility of military operations, this capability represents a significant shift. Mountain Troops should invest and innovate more on such technologies.
Rather than simply improving existing reconnaissance processes, unmanned systems are enabling a new form of terrain intelligence in which snow and ice become continuously monitored operational variables. This development expands situational awareness beyond the enemy and toward the environment itself, creating new opportunities for mobility, survivability, sustainment, and operational effectiveness in some of the most demanding environments on Earth.