These Norwegian Soldiers Still Use An Old-School Tactic To Hide From Drones

Norway's elite Arctic warfare unit, the Long Range Reconnaissance Squadron, uses a traditional method to evade drones: building snow caves called quinzhees. These structures are made from loose snow piled into a cone, allowed to harden, and then hollowed out. The quinzhee's walls have high thermal conductivity, making them relatively effective against thermal imaging. Drone warfare has become increasingly prevalent since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with drones inflicting 70% of battlefield injuries or deaths in 2024. A soldier with the codename 'Poster Boy' stated that countermeasures like tents and camouflage are no longer effective due to advancing technology, and that 'snow is our absolute best concealment.' The Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency is testing Saab's Mobile Camouflage System to further hide soldiers and vehicles from infrared cameras and radar.