Home  /  Newsroom  /  News  /  2025  /  NATO Battlegroup Estonia trains for cold weather warfare during exercise Winter Camp

SZCZECIN, Poland – From January 27 to February 7, NATO Multinational Battlegroup Estonia conducted exercise Winter Camp, the culminating activity for the Battlegroup's lead unit, the British Army's Royal Dragoon Guards, on their deployment to Tapa, Estonia. Working in concert with the Estonian 1st Infantry Brigade, British and French troops demonstrated all-year deterrence capability in extreme cold weather conditions.

Winter Camp served as an opportunity for the Battlegroup to showcase the ‘Cold Weather’ competence and enhance its level of interoperability with NATO Allies. In order to increase realism for the training troops and test the Battlegroup against the latest threats (notably Electric Warfare and UAVs), the exercise drew on lessons from contemporary conflicts, including the Russian war against Ukraine. Forging innovation, Winter Camp consolidated the Battlegroup as a more lethal and adaptable fighting force.

Importantly, the exercise saw the U.K. Light Cavalry Squadron from NATO Battlegroup Poland and a U.S. Bradley platoon with 5-7 Cav. acting as a simulated Opposing Force (OPFOR). The use of OPFOR in training events is intended to enable operations against a non-cooperative, free-thinking and capability-based adversary or enemy. For soldiers, it is an effective means for measuring their reaction and readiness in real-time and real-world scenarios.

Operating their High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), the U.S. Task Force Voit provided additional realism to Winter Camp.

British, French and U.S. troops train for combat in winter weather conditions during exercise Winter Camp, Tapa, Estonia © NATO Battlegroup Estonia / U.S. Army Europe and Africa