What Does Military Biomedical Research Contribute to Sustaining Soldier Performance in Cold Environments

Abstract : Research on the physiology of performance limits provides simple and effective solutions involving the way we feed, train, and equip the Soldier. Accurate predictions of human performance offer useful decision aids to military planners, set safe limits in training, and provide a scientific basis to evaluate military strategies or off-the-shelf technologies. Current cold physiology studies focus on hypothermia risk prediction, militarily relevant performance, and affordable metabolic countermeasures. Joint Norwegian-U.S. research cooperation on extending human limits in cold environments is a logical expansion of previous productive Norwegian Defense Research Establishment (NDRE)-USARIEM studies, with new opportunities and requirements presented by Norwegian leadership in NATO cold weather training.