A Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (right) and a Lightfish Unmanned Surface Vessel operate in Breivika Bay during Arctic Sentry 2026. (Brandie Nuzzi/U.S. Navy)
NAPLES, Italy — The U.S. Navy and Norway are testing the capabilities of high-tech drones in the Arctic, where China and Russia are seen as an increasing threat to U.S. and European security.
The bilateral drone exercise is being held in Ramsund, Norway — about 130 miles inside the Arctic Circle — amid extreme cold, rugged fjords and difficult underwater conditions.
“We are pushing the boundaries of innovation in the most challenging environmental conditions, proving these technologies can provide a critical defensive edge anywhere in the world,” Vice Adm. Jeffrey Anderson, 6th Fleet commander, said in a statement.
The drill involves surface and undersea drones used for mine countermeasures, undersea infrastructure protection and intelligence gathering, along with other uses, the statement said.
Anderson called the drone deployment in the High North a “landmark” moment.
NATO officials have expressed growing concern about Russia-China cooperation, especially in the Arctic.
Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO supreme allied commander Europe, warned in January that Moscow and Beijing are “trying to figure out how they can counter NATO capabilities on and under the sea.”
The partnership could “grow very quickly, and we need to be mindful of it and ready for it,” Grynkewich said at a security conference.
The nearly three-week exercise, which ends Sunday, is designed to leverage the geographical expertise of the Norwegian Armed Forces alongside Navy know-how in robotics, unmanned systems and expeditionary operations, 6th Fleet said.
The U.S.-Norway training involves the Navy’s Task Force 66, which is focused on integrating robotic and autonomous systems with manned platforms.
It also includes Task Force 68, which commands all naval expeditionary combat forces in U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.
During the exercise, Navy forces are using surface and underwater drones to detect, identify and neutralize threats — which can be especially challenging in unique Arctic conditions.
“Norwegian Armed Forces help us overcome these hurdles by actively advising our teams with their deep regional expertise and established cold-weather operating procedures,” said Capt. Jeremy Wheat, Task Force 68 commander.
U.S. and Norwegian personnel also are using underwater drones and specialized dive gear to locate and neutralize old explosives, including ordnance from World War I and World War II, according to the statement.
Wheat said the training is an important step in developing unmanned capabilities for Arctic operations.
“This is no longer science fiction,” Wheat said. “The lessons learned here will define how we operate in the High North for years to come.”
