Home > Exercise News > CR22 ~ North Force Counter-Attack Begins

CR22 ~ North Force Counter-Attack Begins

A German Waffenträger Wiesel 1 TOW armament carrier of the reinforced 4. Kompanie, Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232 provides cover for the advancing mountain infantry during the counter-attack [© Carl Schulze]

After fighting a delaying action for several days, North Force launched its counter-attack along the major E6 highway in Norway, reports Carl Schulze.

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Setermoen, 29 March 2022: With Exercise COLD RESPONSE 22 slowly nearing its end the North Force, after fighting a delaying action over several days, launched its counter-attack along the E6 highway.

Yesterday (Monday) the advance of the South Force was finally checked in the vicinity of Setermoen. At the same time Finnish and Swedish troops neutralised the threat to the right flank of the North Force, caused by Dutch Marines that had landed in the vicinity of Sørreisa. The North Force was therefore now in the right position to regain the initiative.

Alpini Engineers clear a minefield, encountered directly after the counter-attack by the 2. Bataljon battlegroup was launched [© Carl Schulze]

In the early morning hours Norwegian heavy armour of the North Force, including Leopard 2A4N main battle tanks and CV9030N Mk III armoured infantry fighting vehicles, began to attack southwards from the vicinity of Bardufoss, reaching the outskirts of Setermoen around 09:00, where they fixed the invading South Force.

Against heavy armour the Alpini employed the Spike anti-tank missile system [© Carl Schulze]

The next part of the counter-attack was undertaken by 2. Bataljon of the Norwegian Brigade Nord. On Exercise COLD RESPONSE 22 this unit provided the command element for a multinational battalion, whose combat elements were the reinforced German 4. Kompanie, Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232 (a mountain infantry battalion) and a reinforced Italian mountain infantry company from 3° Reggimento Alpini.

Norwegian CV9030N Mk III armoured infantry fighting vehicle of the North Force seen just outside Setermoen [© Carl Schulze]
This Norwegian Leopard 2A4N main battle tank of the North Force is advancing along the E6 highway
[© Carl Schulze]
In a tactical road march 4. Kompanie, Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232 deployed to the starting line of the 2. Bataljon attack [© Carl Schulze]

In the early afternoon, with its two mountain infantry companies, 2. Bataljon moved around Setermoen on the east side and deployed to a starting line from which it launched an attack into the flank of the enemy troops of the South Force, threatening to cut off some of them in the vicinity of Setermoen town. This counter-attack continued well into the evening hours.

This machine-gunner of 4. Kompanie, Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232 is armed with a 7.62mm MG5
[© Carl Schulze]
A German Gebirgsjäger scans the terrain in front with the sight of his 7.62mm G27 rifle for signs of enemy activity [© Carl Schulze]

To be continued…

[Text and images © Carl Schulze]

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