NATO forces deploy to Jan Mayen via RAF A400M

During Operation Atlantic City 26, a Royal Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft delivered US Marines, UK Royal Marines, and two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles to the remote Norwegian island of Jan Mayen on August 29, 2026.

The mission is part of Arctic Sentry, a NATO-led enhanced vigilance activity in the High North. The trilateral operation, led by Norway and involving the United Kingdom and the United States, aims to integrate multinational sensors, command-and-control nodes, and precision fires into a unified joint kill web.

Because Jan Mayen lacks a harbor, the island's single unpaved gravel runway is the only practical method for delivering heavy equipment. The 2026 iteration includes precision fires provided by a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) platoon from the New Hampshire Army National Guard. Rapid insertion capabilities are also supported by US Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130 and US Air Forces Europe C-130 aircraft.