F-16 Fighting Falcons from the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region deployed from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, to Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, the War Department said Sept. 17.
The move supports Operation Arctic Vanguard 26-4.2. NORAD personnel and aircraft are also operating forward in Greenland with partners from Denmark and other NATO countries. Officials tied the flight to the Nordic Bridge concept used by NORAD and U.S. Northern Command to line up Arctic training and operations with other U.S. commands and allies.
The stated aim is a more regular multinational presence on North America’s northern approaches, including work from austere airfields rather than only from main bases in Alaska.
“Operation Arctic Vanguard demonstrates that austere conditions and vast distances present no barrier to NORAD’s collective defense,” said Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert D. Davis, commander, Alaskan NORAD Region. “Deploying combat airpower from Alaska across Canada and forward into Greenland validates our agile combat capabilities and demonstrates our seamless integration with the Canadian NORAD region, the Kingdom of Denmark and our NATO allies. Together, we maintain continuous vigilance and credible deterrence across North America’s northern approaches.”
The announcement did not list how long the aircraft will stay or how many jets made the trip. It presents the deployment as a readiness drill and a signal that NORAD can move fighters across the High North on short notice.
