"Northern Griffin 2020" exercise, Finland, February/March 2020

Organized in Northern Finland from 24 February to 22 March 2020, the exercise "Northern Griffin 2020" of the Utti Jaeger Regiment is a demanding winter exercise as part of which soldiers undertake training and accrue experience in, among others, carrying out reconnaissance and combat tasks as well as sustaining operating capability in the demanding conditions of Northern Finland.

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"Northern Griffin 2020" exercise, Finland, February/March 2020

Organized in Northern Finland from 24 February to 22 March 2020, the exercise "Northern Griffin 2020" of the Utti Jaeger Regiment is a demanding winter exercise as part of which soldiers undertake training and accrue experience in, among others, carrying out reconnaissance and combat tasks as well as sustaining operating capability in the demanding conditions of Northern Finland.

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Now, a tractor is a vital part of any CSS or locistics unit, but no first line unit should go to war with them as their carriage.
They are not first line units and they wouldn't be "going to battle" with them. Instead they are just means to get infantry from a to b, like trucks, bandvagns and other such unarmored vehicles. In a little more ideal world these kind of light infantry would have bandvagns, which are also unarmored, but those are not free. Tractors also have very good mobility on rough terrain, so I'd rather have those than trucks.
 
^ I think this last picture was posted few pages ago. ;)

Here is a good talk for those who have time.
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They are not first line units and they wouldn't be "going to battle" with them. Instead they are just means to get infantry from a to b, like trucks, bandvagns and other such unarmored vehicles. In a little more ideal world these kind of light infantry would have bandvagns, which are also unarmored, but those are not free. Tractors also have very good mobility on rough terrain, so I'd rather have those than trucks.

It is obvious we are talking about different things. I am well aware that our units are equipped with different vehicles all around.

When I call an unit "a first line unit", I mean their mission is is to fight an unnamed enemy head on. Which means In my opinion every infantry unit in FDF. And unfortunately a very large part of our round Forces are equipped with a colorful equipment.

I, personally, consider every infantry unit a first line unit. No matter if their mobility comes from tractors, APCs or IFVs. Which leads us to an unpleasant conclusion: A number of our most important units are equipped with tractors and civilian vehicles.

I do understand that no infantry company is going to move in to contact in a tractor. I know that the idea is to transport people to a certain Area of Operation. They simply move to their ordered area with them and after that move on foot in their ordered AOR.

I do agree that a tractor is better than a truck. I simply wish our units had a better vehicle. Back in 2005 we had 195 BMP-1s, 102 BMP-2, 162 T-72s. And a very large number of other armoured units. And someone decided that we did not need them. And thus a large number of them ended up in a scrapyard.

All in all, I am trying to say that I personally think a armoured vehicle is better than an unarmoured one.

Anyway, here are a few pictures taken by yours truly:

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Bubi,, the STU-III of a legendary Finnish Panzer Ace Börje Brotell.

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A Finnish BMP-1 with a PSTOHJ82M (AT-5) launcher.

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CV9030
 

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I do agree that a tractor is better than a truck. I simply wish our units had a better vehicle. Back in 2005 we had 195 BMP-1s, 102 BMP-2, 162 T-72s. And a very large number of other armoured units. And someone decided that we did not need them. And thus a large number of them ended up in a scrapyard.

You're right, it was the madness of that era. But they wouldn't make a big difference in the big picture.


A number of our most important units are equipped with tractors and civilian vehicles.

All in all, I am trying to say that I personally think a armoured vehicle is better than an unarmoured one.

I agree with the latter. However only concentrating on tractors, many miss the point that the large masses, even in units using only military equipment, would be using unarmored vehicles (In fact even operational units in north). Difference between them and those tractor forces are nonexistent when it comes to protection, however most people seem to only see the latter as a problem.

Another great problem is reliance on towed artillery, hell some even boast on having lot's of them. Not to mention lack of proper AA in most units...

To fix these problems Army would need funds similar to HX program. I'm not holding my breath, public seems to be most interested in number of troops and tubes.
 
You're right, it was the madness of that era. But they wouldn't make a big difference in the big picture.

Unfortunately so. But I must disagree with you on your later conclusion.

NOTE :everything here onward is speculation and thus not to be taken truth.

Situation back in 2005 was folleing.

We had
100 Leopard 2A4 (some on the way)
162 T-72M1/M1K
195 BMP-1
102 BMP-2
Hundreds of MT-LB's
72 2S1's
A very large number of different armoured vehicles.

What I am trying to say, is we had a chance to have a number of relatively well equipped armoured units to have in ouf defense. I will shall not go into deeper discussion about this matter. I will merely say that it is better to have an armoured vehicle than an unarmoured oneö

I agree with the latter. However only concentrating on tractors, many miss the point that the large masses, even in units using only military equipment, would be using unarmored vehicles (In fact even operational units in north). Difference between them and those tractor forces are nonexistent when it comes to protection, however most people seem to only see the latter as a problem.

Another great problem is reliance on towed artillery, hell some even boast on having lot's of them. Not to mention lack of proper AA in most units...

To fix these problems Army would need funds similar to HX program. I'm not holding my breath, public seems to be most interested in number of troops and tubes.

I (unfortunately) agree. Especially our northern forces are in trouble. They are few in number. They have to hold on a very large piece of Fatherland's soil, which is no mean feat.

All in all, I try not to be entirely pessimistic. While I agree that our Ground Forces have several issues, we must try to look forward. In a perfect world where we have time to act. Fortunately our Iron Fist in in a relatively good shape.
 

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