Sweden will deploy a Gripen fighter unit to Iceland in February and March 2026 to support NATO's incident preparedness mission. This is the first time Skaraborg Air Flotilla has participated with a fighter unit in a NATO operation, Breaking Defense reports.
The US Army's 11th Airborne Division conducted Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 26-02 training exercises in Alaska, where soldiers simulated an Arctic conflict scenario amidst freezing temperatures. According to Breaking Defense, the training comes as the Pentagon reorients to homeland defense.
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has deployed aircraft to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland for long-planned activities. The deployment comes as Washington and European allies compete for influence over the island's security role in the Arctic.
Denmark has formally stood up 729 Squadron to operate long-range drones, including the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian. The squadron will support surveillance of Danish interests in the Arctic and beyond, with deliveries expected from 2028.
Denmark has announced plans to increase its military presence in Greenland, in partnership with NATO allies. This move comes amid growing security tensions in the Arctic and follows days of rhetoric from the Trump administration focused on acquiring the island.
European countries have begun airlifting reconnaissance teams into Greenland under Danish leadership, with the first contingents arriving in Nuuk on January 14, 2026. The mission aims to assess conditions for a possible wider allied deployment and map out infrastructure and logistics for sustained operations in Greenland's polar environment.
The US Coast Guard has announced plans to invest $25 billion in new assets as part of its 'supercharge' program. The initiative aims to strengthen America's industrial base and modernize its fleet amid Arctic expansion.
Breaking Defense reports that the US is considering a Compacts of Free Association (COFA) agreement with Greenland as an alternative to annexation. The proposal would provide a sovereign wealth fund of $30 billion, modeled after Alaska's Permanent Fund, to support infrastructure, education, energy, and defense in Greenland.