Or just needing to justify their existence and that of the E model buy since there is little desert warfighting to be done nowadays. If the Northern flank was that important, why haven't they been sent there before?
I don't know, maybe somebody has finally realized that the Soviet Union and its aspirations never actually went away, and although Putin has been "cleared hot" by 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he might need reminding that territories and treaties are still a thing for the rest of NATO.
...We all know the way to absolutely guarantee more desert warfare is to get the AAC Combat Ready in the Arctic role.