French Air Force Achieves Operational Milestone In Extreme Conditions
A French Air and Space Force A400M Atlas has successfully landed on Arctic sea ice in northern Greenland, marking a first operational achievement for the transport aircraft in such extreme conditions. The operation was carried out during the Tunupex and Uppick 2026 exercises, with the aircraft touching down on a natural sea-ice strip measuring less than 1,400 meters. The mission demonstrated the A400M’s ability to operate from snowy, icy, and improvised surfaces, and was preceded by weeks of technical preparation and ground reconnaissance. The exercise was reported by AeroTime.