NATO allies conduct Arctic defense drills in Greenland

NATO allies are conducting Operation ARCTIC VANGUARD 26-4, a multinational training mission focused on Arctic defense and agile combat employment. Between September 13 and 26, 2026, personnel and aircraft from the Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR) are deploying from Eielson Air Force Base to Greenland via Canada to validate the ability to maneuver combat airpower across vast distances and extreme sub-zero environments.

In a significant milestone, two Royal Danish Air Force F-35A fighters landed at Kangerlussuaq Airport in western Greenland for the first time. These aircraft deployed from Keflavik Air Base in Iceland and were supported by a French Airbus A330 MRTT for refueling. The Danish formation joined four US F-16s and two Canadian F-18s at the Joint Arctic Command facility.

The exercise aims to test interoperability between the Alaskan and Canadian NORAD regions, as well as with the Kingdom of Denmark and NATO. The mission emphasizes the ability to sustain air superiority missions in austere conditions with limited infrastructure and challenging weather, supporting the NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Nordic Bridge concept.