NATO expands High North military readiness with U.S., British and Norwegian forces training on Jan Mayen

Joint Force Command Norfolk leads Arctic Sentry and coordinates Allied exercises, forces and capabilities across the region. NATO says the framework is designed to improve operational coordination and shared awareness in the Arctic.

“Arctic Sentry is our way of synchronising all Arctic activity conducted by Allies to increase regional security, gain the most deterrent effect possible from those activities, and make sure that we have increased our common situational awareness in the Arctic,” said Norwegian Army Major General Forde Kristoffersen, Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations at JFC Norfolk. The command is responsible for Jan Mayen as part of its broader area of responsibility.

Jan Mayen is Norwegian territory in the Norwegian Sea, about 1,000 kilometers from mainland Norway. Its isolation and Arctic conditions allow Allied forces to train in an austere environment and improve their ability to operate together.

Norwegian participants include personnel from the Royal Norwegian Navy and the Norwegian Home Guard. British and U.S. forces will train alongside them to strengthen their ability to defend Norwegian territory and NATO’s northern flank.

“By operating alongside our Allies, we demonstrate that we have both the capability and the will to defend Norwegian territory,” said Vice Admiral Rune Andersen, Commander of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters. “This includes the Arctic islands, the High North and our territorial waters.”

NATO says the Arctic and High North are becoming more important to collective security. The region links North America and Europe and contains sea routes used for communication and reinforcement.

The alliance also says changing environmental conditions and growing strategic competition are altering the operating environment. NATO members have increased their military presence in the region to prepare forces for extreme cold, long distances and difficult terrain.

Arctic exercises give Allied forces practical experience in maritime operations, surveillance, movement and survival. They also provide training in joint operations under harsh weather conditions.

Operation Atlantic City follows similar Allied training around Jan Mayen last year. Its name comes from a U.S. military base established at Nordlaguna during the Second World War to support meteorological observations and Allied control of the North Atlantic.

NATO says forces in the High North must be able to operate despite distance, severe weather, limited infrastructure and rapidly changing conditions. Joint training is intended to build the procedures, relationships and experience needed for combined operations.

Operation Atlantic City is one of a growing number of activities conducted under Arctic Sentry. The framework gives NATO planners greater visibility of national and Allied activity across the region and allows those efforts to be coordinated.

JFC Norfolk leads Arctic Sentry under strategic direction from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. NATO says exercises such as Atlantic City are intended to maintain readiness in the High North and prepare Allied forces to operate together when required.