NATO is stepping up its surveillance activity in the Arctic in response to a call from US President Donald Trump for enhanced defense capabilities in the region.
Trump warned that Russia and China have been increasing their activities in the Arctic, including the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland.
In February, NATO announced that the alliance will strengthen its posture in the Arctic and the surrounding region known as the High North.
An NHK crew was allowed to accompany Swedish troops for two days through March 3 when their unit conducted an airborne surveillance mission over Iceland.
The crew boarded a Swedish military C130 transport plane at a base in Uppsala, southern Sweden, and headed for Iceland.
NATO member state fighter planes are on guard mainly for long-range bombers from Russia. Information is shared with NATO headquarters on a real-time basis.
The transport aircraft landed on a base in Keflavik, southwestern Iceland, where six Swedish military fighter jets are deployed. Personnel were seen making preparations for the fighters to take to the skies by equipping them with anti-aircraft missiles and loading ammunition into machine guns.
At this time of year, strong winds sweep through the region. It was such a windy day that the NHK crew could barely stand.
NATO says that it will strengthen surveillance despite the harsh environment in the Arctic to respond to potential threats from Russia and China.
Major General Frode Arnfinn Kristoffersen, the deputy chief of operations for Joint Force Command Norfolk, said that “there is no sign that Russia is scaling back on their ambitions in the Arctic.” He added that “we have to balance our activity against Russia.”
Kristoffersen also said it is important to show that “we are able to operate in the Arctic, which is a vast area” with “very, very harsh conditions.”