4,000 US soldiers deploy to Norway for Arctic exercise
The United States is not drawing down its forces training with NATO allies inside the Arctic Circle amid turmoil over Trump's threats to seize control of Greenland.
The upcoming Cold Response 2026 will be the largest military exercise in Norway in 2026 with an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 participants from more than ten countries.
"There will be about 4,000 US soldiers," said spokesperson Vegard Norstad Finberg with the Norwegian Armed Forces when asked by the Barents Observer.
The live phase of the exercise, which will train how quickly allied troops can be dispatched to protect the northern regions of Norway and Finland, kicks off on March 9 and will last for ten days.
The US troops will for the most operate on land in Northern Norway.
"This is primarily near the Norwegian Army's garrisons in Troms. In addition, there will be about 600 US soldiers in Central Norway and Southern Norway, as some of their air defence forces and aircraft capabilities are located on Norwegian bases in these areas," Vegard Norstad Finberg said.
There will be Army, Air Force and Special Forces personnel from the United States.
Since Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2014 NATO has enhanced its collaborative military strength in northern Europe. With Finland and Sweden joining the alliance in 2023, the defence of the northern flank is significantly strengthened.
An important component of Cold Response will be receiving allied forces and starting up activities in northern Finland. Movement of troops will be seen across borders from the Ofoten and Troms areas in northern Norway into Finnish Lapland, as well as from northern Sweden into Finland.
In Lapland, the exercise will for the most take place at the Rovajärvi shooting range and in Sodankylä where the Finnish Armed Forces has its northernmost brigade-level unit specialised in Arctic training and ground-based air defence.
The Norwegian Armed Forces said in a statement that the exercise "will increase our preparedness and our capability to conduct large-scale joint operations in challenging weather and climate."
"The war in Ukraine has had enormous impact not only for Ukraine, but for the entire global security situation. This demanding backdrop makes our main mission even more relevant: Defending Norway and our values," the statement concludes.
