Patrolling the High Arctic, Rifles and Snow Shoes at the Ready

New York Times

2 days ago

The soldiers clambered onto snowmobiles and disappeared into a whiteout, snaking across the frozen Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories. Members of the Canadian and American militaries, accompanied by units from other NATO allies, patrolled the sea, land and skies across a vast stretch of the Canadian Arctic surrounding the Mackenzie River Delta.
They were training in one of the most inhospitable environments on earth.
Canadian soldiers were issued snowshoes as part of their kit for the training exercise. Several patrols traveled across the frozen Arctic Ocean.
As the region warms, the sea ice has thinned and retreated, and the period when the Northwest Passage can be traversed is increasing.Canada asserts sovereignty over the passage, which links the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, but it can't support a global shipping lane on its own. Canada and the United States have worked together on Arctic security for over 80 years.
Now, NATO wants to deter Russian ambitions in the region.
'There's no fight up here that's not joint,' said Maj. Matthew Hefner of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Arctic temperatures can quickly cause frostbite to exposed skin. Radio batteries die, engines break down, metal firearms and goggles become coated. Even lighting cigarettes is a challenge.
Most of the approximately 700 U.S. and Canadian soldiers who took part in the exercise in March, called Operation Nanook-Nunalivut, had little experience in such difficult conditions.
Accompanying them was a contingent of Canadian Rangers, reservists from Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities who bring a knowledge of the land, culture and climate. The Rangers serve as scouts, advisers and pathfinders, among other roles.
During their downtime, Canadian Rangers played cards in Inuvik. Rangers and Junior Rangers went out to watch a large herd of reindeer north of Inuvik.
Canada and United States have long been close allies, but their relationship has been tested in recent months.
The Mackenzie River Delta is a maze of lakes and waterways stretching hundreds of square miles. The soldier is American, while the helicopter belongs to the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Canadians have been angered by new American tariffs on exports, and offended by Trump administration talk of making their country the 51st state.
Snowmobile and animal tracks on a frozen lake near Inuvik.
Canadian Arctic security policy is pivoting to demonstrate the nation's credibility as a reliable ally of the United States, while at the same time deter potentially hostile nations, like Russia.
A line of Canadian soldiers, above, patrolling past two satellite domes at a remote North Warning System site. Canadian Rangers make a trail across the tundra for U.S. Special Forces following behind.
Over the past year, Canada and the United States have released updated strategies for the Arctic, making clear the region's increasing importance. Climate change, expanding commercial access and Russia's military buildup in the Arctic may reshape the region's future.
So might the shifting Canada-U.S. relations.