Vessels gather in western Sweden to participate in NATO’s exercise Arctic Dolphin in this undated photo. U.S. allies are stepping up their presence in the Arctic and carrying out maneuvers aimed at securing a strategic gap in the vicinity of Greenland. (Facebook/NATO Maritime Command)
Anti-submarine warfare drills are underway in the High North as allies step up their presence in the Arctic with maneuvers aimed at securing a strategic gap near Greenland.
Arctic Dolphin, involving allied naval forces at various locations in Norway, marks the latest push by NATO to showcase how operating in the Arctic’s harsh terrain is a top priority.
The exercise “reinforces NATO’s focus on the strategically important Greenland Iceland United Kingdom gap, a vital gateway to the Atlantic Ocean,” NATO’s Allied Maritime Command said in a Wednesday statement.
Arctic Dolphin, which began Monday and runs until Feb. 13, involves submarines, warships and submarine-hunting aircraft.
The High North has emerged as a major NATO military focal point, on par with the alliance’s eastern flank in the Baltics.
As northern sea ice melts, new shipping lanes are opening in a region rich with valuable natural resources. In addition, the prospect of increased competition there with Russia and China has risen.
President Donald Trump also has turned his attention to Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.
Trump recently pushed for an American takeover of the island, although he ruled out using American military force as an option for doing so. Nevertheless, his comments left many European members of the bloc rattled.
Discussions are now taking place on a potential deal that could see a larger American presence in Greenland, where the U.S. currently has around 200 troops based.
The exercise comes as NATO prepares to further expand its presence in the High North with a new operation called Arctic Sentry, which is in the planning phase.
Meanwhile, thousands of U.S. and allied troops will deploy to Norway in the coming weeks for large-scale combat drills centered on the country’s defense.
About 3,000 Marines and roughly 25,000 personnel from a dozen countries will participate in Cold Response, an exercise slated to kick off in March.
“Training in this region enhances Allied readiness to protect sea lines of communication and maintain maritime security in the North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea,” the NATO statement said.
