The Danish Armed Forces tested a new mobile surgical unit, Role 2 Forward, in southern Greenland in September during the NATO exercise Arctic Shield. The unit is built to work on its own and closer to the front than large field hospitals.
According to Forsvaret, drone attacks in Ukraine have made large field hospitals easy targets.
— The experience the Ukrainians have gained shows that it isn't always the best option, says Malene, the unit's health-care lead during the exercise.
Smaller surgical units that fit inside buildings and bunkers are needed instead.
— It gives us the flexibility to move in anywhere, she says.
Trænregimentet's medical company and Forsvarets Sundhedskapacitet developed the unit in close cooperation with several other nations. It had previously been tested in another part of Arctic Endurance, the year-round Danish-led effort that includes Arctic Shield. About half its staff are military medics. The rest are civilian doctors and nurses on reserve contracts.
During the exercise, the unit gave real medical support to participants on high-risk tasks such as glacier crossings and parachute jumps.
Arctic Shield ran from 7 to 18 September around Narsarsuaq and Kangerlussuaq. More than 400 personnel from 11 NATO countries took part.