A military exercise is underway in Gimo and Österbybruk in Östhammars municipality. Conscripts are practicing patrolling with dogs for the first time, including Arvid Wadman who tracks planted finds in the forest. The exercise involves the F16 air wing and runs from March 2 to 6.
From March 2 to 6, the F16 air wing is conducting an exercise in Östhammars municipality, focusing on patrolling in the forests of Norduppland. SVT News joined conscripts during the activity outside Österbybruk, where they used dogs to track the enemy for the first time.
Arvid Wadman, one of the conscripts, participated in the tracking. “We want to see how the enemy moves, but actually prefer not to catch up,” he says. The purpose of the day's exercise was to use maps to locate the enemy and find planted items with the dog's help. “The purpose of the exercise is to look at the map and figure out where the enemy is. Today we have placed finds in the forests here that we will try to find with the help of the dog,” Wadman explains.
The exercise aims to train soldiers in observing enemy movements without direct confrontation. Questions about how the current global situation affects conscripts are highlighted in the report, with specific responses in an attached clip. The activity emphasizes the use of dogs in military contexts to enhance reconnaissance in the terrain.
Related warnings have been issued about gunfire sounds and dog patrols in the area, according to earlier F16 reports.
