NATO launches Arctic war drills as alliance tests civilian readiness
Oslo, March 9 — NATO began its biennial military exercise in the Arctic on Monday, deploying around 25,000 troops from 14 countries across northern Norway and Finland in drills that will run from March 9 to March 19, with a renewed emphasis on civilian preparedness amid heightened geopolitical tensions involving United States President Donald Trump and his push to take control of Greenland from fellow alliance member Denmark.
The exercise, known as Cold Response, focuses on defending the European Arctic region, where Norway and Finland share borders with Russia. Military officials say the drills aim to test the alliance’s ability to respond to crises in the High North, an area that has drawn growing strategic attention in recent years.
The Cold Response exercise has now been incorporated into Arctic Sentry, a NATO mission designed to strengthen the alliance’s presence in the polar region. The initiative was launched in part to ease tensions surrounding Washington’s position on Greenland and to reinforce cooperation among Arctic allies.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States needs control over Greenland to counter potential security threats posed by Russia and China in the Arctic. Officials in both Denmark and Greenland have rejected the idea, stating that the island is not for sale.
This year’s drills involve approximately 25,000 personnel from 14 nations, including the United States and Denmark, operating primarily across northern Norway and Finland. According to military planners, the exercises will test coordination among allied forces in cold-weather and Arctic conditions.
The United States is expected to deploy roughly 4,000 troops to the drills, making it one of the largest contributors to the exercise.
Ahead of the exercise, the U.S. military withdrew one squadron of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets that had been scheduled to participate. U.S. officials declined to say whether the decision was related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
A spokesperson for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe said such adjustments were common given the global commitments of American forces.
“The U.S. military is a globally deployed force and it is not abnormal for forces to be dynamically re-tasked or reallocated for a host of reasons,” the spokesperson told Reuters.
This year’s exercise places greater emphasis on the role of civilian institutions in supporting military operations, reflecting broader Nordic efforts to strengthen national resilience during crises.
Norway has designated 2026 as the year of “total defence,” a policy initiative intended to improve coordination between the military, public services, businesses and the wider population in responding to conflict or major emergencies.
Major-General Lars Lervik, head of the Norwegian Army, said the military depended on the normal functioning of civilian society in order to carry out its core mission of defending the country.
“We want our military to do its job of defending the country. To do that, we are completely reliant on most aspects of society functioning as normal,” Lervik told Reuters.
He added that the exercise also offers an opportunity to rehearse practical support roles for civilians, including preparing health services to treat a higher number of injured soldiers from Norway or allied forces during a potential conflict.
The Arctic has increasingly become a focal point of geopolitical competition as melting ice opens new maritime routes and access to natural resources. NATO officials say maintaining readiness in the region has become a strategic priority for the alliance.
Cold Response, which takes place every two years, is designed to test NATO’s ability to operate in extreme conditions while coordinating multinational forces across land, air and maritime domains.
This year’s exercise unfolds at a time of heightened global tensions, with NATO allies seeking to demonstrate operational coordination and preparedness in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive regions.
