Jaeger Brigade
The Jaeger Brigade (Jääkäriprikaati) is a unit of the Finnish Army. The unit is located in Sodankylä and Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, some 130 kilometres (81 mi) north of the Arctic Circle. The brigade trains 1600 conscripts per year. The brigade has two main units: Lapland Jaeger Battalion in Sodankylä and Lapland Air Defence Battalion at Rovaniemi air base.
| Jaeger Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Jääkäriprikaati | |
Insignia of the Jaeger Brigade. | |
| Active | 1919–1921:Käkisalmen rykmentti (Käkisalmi Regiment) 1921–1936: Polkupyöräpataljoona 1 (Bicycle Battalion 1) 1936–1957: Jääkäripataljoona 1 (Jaeger Battalion 1) 1957–1964: Pohjanmaan jääkäripataljoona (Ostrobothnia Jaeger Battalion) 1964–1979: Lapin Jääkäripataljoona (Lapland Jaeger Battalion) 1979–: Jääkäriprikaati Jaeger Brigade |
| Country | Finland |
| Branch | Finnish Army |
| Type | Infantry and Anti-Air |
| Role | Arctic forces and Anti-aircraft warfare training |
| Size | 1600 conscripts, 370 career personnel, of whom 140 military career personnel |
| Garrison | Sodankylä and Rovaniemi |
| Nickname(s) | Jiipeeär, Jipri |
| Flag | |
| March | The Jäger March by Jean Sibelius |
| Equipment | Sisu Nasu and Bandvagn 206 Leopard 2A4 |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel | Kimmo Kinnunen |
The Jaeger Brigade specialises in training soldiers for the harsh climate of Lapland. The brigade is also responsible for developing arctic warfare tactics and equipment in cooperation with Swedish and Norwegian arctic forces. Their expertise in cold-weather warfare is widely recognized; members of the U.S. and other militaries come to Sodankylä in winter to learn from them.
Troops are motorized by all-terrain vehicles Sisu Nasu and Bandvagn 206 due their better movement on arctic conditions compared to heavy armed vehicles.