NATO launched the Arctic Guard

polska-zbrojna.pl 3 weeks ago

On 11 February, NATO launched the Arctic Sentry mission to strengthen allied defence and deterrence capabilities in the Far North. Although the main task of the mission in a strategical dimension is to halt Russia and China from expanding in the Arctic, in practice it is an effort to respond to American claims to Danish Greenland. The mission will increase NATO's ability to supply situational awareness and consequence in the Arctic, but it does not gotta influence US abandoning its efforts to gain control of Greenland.

Why is NATO launching the mission?

Decision establishing “The Arctic Guard” was taken at the top in Davos on 22 January. Its aim is to ease the conflict around claims by president Donald Trump to Greenlandwho are threatening a major crisis in the Alliance. However, the legitimacy of the mission is deeper strategically linked to the expanding rivalry in the Arctic with Russia and China. According to forecasts, by 2040 the melting glacier cover will enable the full year-round usage of the Northern Maritime Road and will greatly facilitate the exploitation of the natural resources located there. The Arctic States of the Alliance, guided by national interests and wishing to keep full sovereignty in shaping this dimension of safety policy, have for years not reached consensus on the approach to the region. They were opposed to the militarization of the Arctic ellipse and feared tensions in relations with Russia. As a result, issues related to the Far North were not included in the NATO strategical Concept of 2022. Therefore, 1 of the objectives of the Arctic defender mission is to make a coherent operational approach to defence and deterrence in the region, which is crucial in the context of Russian claims against the Norwegian (demilitarised) Svalbard or the unregulated position of the Arctic continental shelf. Both of these issues could be the origin of Russia's disputes with NATO countries in the future.

What challenges do Russia and China face in the Far North?

RECLAMA

For more than a decade, Russia has been expanding its military possible in the Arctic – reactivates air bases, deploys S-400 anti-aircraft defence systems and Bastion anti-ship missiles. fresh Earth patrols are investigating fresh weapons, and radio-electronic combat systems deployed on the Kolski Peninsula since 2022 have been utilized to jam the GPS signal. Through the Arctic ellipse leads the shortest flight way of Russian bombers and ballistic missiles aimed at targets in the United States. With nearly 30 submarines, the North Fleet provides Russia with the ability to strategically strike, attacks on sub-marine critical infrastructure, or control of maritime communication lines (including GIUK – Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom) which, in the event of a direct conflict with NATO, may be crucial to keep the ability to decision troops from the US and Canada to Europe. China, in turn, focuses on economical expansion (especially on access to maritime trade routes and the extraction of natural resources), but has ambitions for the improvement of civilian and military capabilities to conduct independent maritime operations in the Arctic. To this end, they make a fleet of polar investigation vessels, icebreakers and submarines. Since 2024 Russia and China have importantly strengthened cooperation and have implemented joint strategical bomber patrols north of the Bering Strait, coastguards in the Arctic Ocean, and since 2025 besides joint investigation expeditions. Both countries are closely observing developments in the US attempts to take control of Greenland, which could be utilized as an excuse to take offensive action.

What is the mandate of the Arctic defender and who is involved?

The Arctic defender is to trust on increased multi-domain military activity in the region, based on the implementation of allied exercises, including the current Arctic Endurance in Greenland, and the Cold consequence in Norway scheduled for March, which will be attended by 25,000 soldiers from 14 countries. It is likely that the Arctic defender will include the Lion Protector exercises scheduled for September with the participation of the United Kingdom-led Joint Expeditionary Forces (JEF), as well as another maneuvers that are regularly held in the region. The mission is under the work of the Alliance Joint Forces Command in Norfolk (JFC Norfolk) in cooperation with the Alliance Operations Command (ACO) and the Command of the Alliance Forces for Transformation (ACT) and in coordination with the American-Canadian Air Defence Command of North America (NORAD), the United States Armed Forces Command for North (USNORTHCOM) and the United States Armed Forces Command in Europe (EUCOM). In early February, commanding JFC Norfolk took over Britain, which replaced the US in that function and announced an increase in its military presence in Norway to 2,000 soldiers in 3 years. NATO Secretary-General has called on associate States to separate their forces for this mission. Sweden has so far declared the usage of JAS-39 Gripen aircraft on work in Iceland (air police), Denmark will send 4 F-35 aircraft and Germany – 4 Eurofighter fighters and logistical support (including the anticipation of refueling in the air).

How can the mission affect the Alliance?

The launch of the mission may have a crucial impact on the improvement of NATO's capabilities to conduct military operations in hard Arctic conditions. Monitoring of maritime communication routes, detection of abroad submarines, countering acts of sabotage on maritime critical infrastructure whether airspace surveillance will increase the interoperability of forces intended to implement the Northern Regional Defence Plan. It will besides enable verification of the command strategy created in 2018 by JFC Norfolk. The increased activity of allied forces should increase the situational awareness in the Far North and besides counter possible hostile actions. However, its future and importance will depend on whether the US will yet quit its attempts to get Greenland. This accomplishment was included in the January 2026 U.S. National Defence strategy (NDS), and a change of this position will require the continued commitment of diplomatic allies to halt the Trump administration. Maintaining the U.S.'s revisionist approach in this case could lead to a abrupt extinction of the mission and another interior escalation of the dispute. In order to keep allied unity, associate States may search this year's Ankara Summit to give a permanent mission. specified a decision could have a affirmative impact on akin missions to the east flank (‘Baltic Sentry’ and ‘Eastern Sentry’), which would be beneficial for the interests of Poland.

Source: == sync, corrected by elderman ==