CIRCUMPOLAR MILITARY FACILITIES OF THE ARCTIC FIVE Ernie Regehr, O.C. Senior Fellow in Arctic Security and Defence The Simons Foundation Canada and Amy Zavitz, M.A. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circumpolar Military Facilities of the Arctic Five – last updated: September 2019 Ernie Regehr, O.C., and Amy Zavitz, M.A. Circumpolar Military Facilities of the Arctic Five Introduction This compilation of current military facilities in the circumpolar region1 continues to be offered as an aid to addressing a key question posed by the Canadian Senate more than five years ago: “Is the [Arctic] region again becoming militarized?”2 If anything, that question has become more interesting and relevant in the intervening years, with commentators divided on the meaning of the demonstrably accelerated military developments in the Arctic – some arguing that they are primarily a reflection of increasing military responsibilities in aiding civil authorities in surveillance and search and rescue, some noting that Russia’s increasing military presence is consistent with its need to respond to increased risks of things like illegal resource extraction, terrorism, and disasters along its frontier and the northern sea route, and others warning that the Arctic could indeed be headed once again for direct strategic confrontation.3 While a simple listing of military bases, facilities, and equipment, either based in or available for deployment in the Arctic Region, is not by itself an answer to the question of militarization, an understanding of the nature and pace of development of military infrastructure in the Arctic is nevertheless essential to any informed consideration of the changing security dynamics of the Arctic. What follows relies on a broad range of media, government, academic, and research centre sources, all of which are indicated in the footnotes.4 This paper is regarded as a “work in progress” and continues to be updated as new information and changes in military posture and engagement relative to the Arctic become available. Comments, corrections, further information, and suggestions for additional sources are all most welcome. Please send any such comments, corrections, and additions to: Ernie Regehr Senior Fellow in Arctic Security The Simons Foundation Canada Mobile: 519-591-4421 Home Office: 519-579-4735 Email: [email protected] 1 The current list is confined to the five Arctic Ocean states, but the intention is to expand it to include all the states of the Arctic Council. 2 Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, “Sovereignty and Security in Canada’s Arctic: Interim Report,” The Honourable Pamela Wallin, Chair; The Honourable Romeo Dallaire, Deputy Chair, March 2011. http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/403/defe/rep/rep07mar11-e.pdf 3 These perspectives, for example, are reflected in four recent papers from the Arctic Institute linked to a June 15 discussion in Washington on circumpolar security cooperation. http://www.thearcticinstitute.org 4 Of particular initial value have been and remain the following: Huebert, Rob, “The Newly Emerging Arctic Security Environment,” March 2010, Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute. http://www.cdfai.org/PDF/The%20Newly%20Emerging%20Arctic%20Security%20Environment.pdf Huebert, Rob; Exner-Pirot, Heather; Lajeunesse, Adam; Gulledge, Jay, “Climate Change and International Security: The Arctic as a Bellwether,” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, May 2012, http://www.c2es.org/docUploads/arctic-security-report.pdf Defence Watch, the column/blog of David Pugliese in the Ottawa Citizen. http://ottawacitizen.com/category/news/defence-watch Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, “Sovereignty and Security in Canada’s Arctic: Interim Report,” The Honourable Pamela Wallin, Chair; The Honourable Romeo Dallaire, Deputy Chair, March 2011. http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/403/defe/rep/rep07mar11-e.pdf Siemon T. Wezeman, “Military Capabilities in the Arctic,” SIPRI Background Paper, March 2012. http://books.sipri.org/product_info?c_product_id=442 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circumpolar Military Facilities of the Arctic Five – updated: September 2019 Ernie Regehr, O.C., and Amy Zavitz, M.A. 1 QUICK LINKS: Circumpolar Military Facilities of CANADA Page 6 Circumpolar Military Facilities of the USA Page 36 Circumpolar Military Facilities of RUSSIA Page 54 Circumpolar Military Facilities of NORWAY Page 95 Circumpolar Military Facilities of DENMARK Page 105 JOINT EXERCISES Page 109 ARCTIC FORUMS Page 115 OTHER PROJECTS INVOLVING THE ARCTIC Page 119 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circumpolar Military Facilities of the Arctic Five – updated: September 2019 Ernie Regehr, O.C., and Amy Zavitz, M.A. 2 CONTENTS CANADA 6 1. Security Assets based in the North for Operations in the North 6 1.1 Bases (including stations, naval facilities, radar sites, etc., ordered from west to east) 6 1.2 Equipment 9 1.3 Organizations and Operational Units (personnel) 12 1.4 Policy Units and Regulators 15 2. Security Assets based in the South for Operations in the North 166 2.1 Bases (including stations, naval facilities, radar sites, etc) 166 2.2 Equipment 17 2.3 Organizations and Operational Units (personnel) 32 3. Recurring Operations and Exercises 33 USA 36 1. Security Assets available for Operations in the North 36 1.1 Bases 36 1.2 Equipment 41 1.3 Organizations and Operational Units (personnel) 48 2. Recurring Operations and Exercises 50 RUSSIA 54 1. Security Assets available for Operations in the North 54 1.1 Bases (including stations, naval facilities, radar sites, etc.) 54 1.2 Equipment 622 1.3 Organizations and Operational Units (personnel) 89 2. Recurring Operations and Exercises 91 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circumpolar Military Facilities of the Arctic Five – updated: September 2019 Ernie Regehr, O.C., and Amy Zavitz, M.A. 3 NORWAY 95 1. Security Assets available for Operations in the North 95 1.1 Bases (including stations, naval facilities, radar sites, etc) 95 1.2 Equipment 97 1.3 Organizations and Operational Units (personnel) 102 2. Recurring Operations and Exercises 103 DENMARK 105 1. Security Assets available for Operations in the North 105 1.1 Bases (including stations, naval facilities, radar sites, etc.) 105 1.2 Equipment 105 1.3 Organizations and Operational Units (personnel) 107 2. Recurring Operations and Exercises 108 JOINT EXERCISES 109 AMALGAM DART 109 ARCTIC ANVIL 109 ARCTIC CHINOOK 109 Arctic Council SAR Table Top Exercise 109 BARENTS RESCUE 110 CTBTO – The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization 110 COLD RESPONSE 110 FRUKUS 111 Forward Joint Navy Exercise: U.S., Russia, and Norway 111 Forward Rosneft Arctic Projects 111 Greenland SAR Exercise 111 Iceland Airborne Surveillance 111 Joint Tabletop Review for Crystal Serenity’s Arctic voyage 112 NANOOK 112 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circumpolar Military Facilities of the Arctic Five – updated: September 2019 Ernie Regehr, O.C., and Amy Zavitz, M.A. 4 NORTHERN EAGLE NAVAL EXERCISES 112 NORTHERN SCREEN 113 POMOR 113 TRIDENT JUNCTURE 113 US Air National Guard exercise in Finland 114 VIGILANT EAGLE 114 VIGILANT SHIELD 114 CLEAN UP OF ANDREYEVA BAY 114 ARCTIC FORUMS 115 The Arctic Circle 115 Arctic Coast Guard Forum 115 Arctic Economic Council 116 Arctic Five 116 Arctic Frontiers 117 International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR 117 Northern Forum 118 OTHER PROJECTS INVOLVING THE ARCTIC 119 Arctic Fibre 119 Britain and the Arctic 119 China and the Arctic 119 European Union 121 IMO: Adopts Polar Code Safety Requirements 121 IMO Arctic Training 121 Interactive Arctic Risk Map 122 Japan and the Arctic: 122 Japan: Independent underwater vehicle Urashima developed by JAMSTEC 122 Robot Army to Study the Arctic 122 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circumpolar Military Facilities of the Arctic Five – updated: September 2019 Ernie Regehr, O.C., and Amy Zavitz, M.A. 5 CANADA 1. Security Assets based in the North for Operations in the North 1.1 Bases (including stations, naval facilities, radar sites, etc., ordered from west to east) Whitehorse, Yukon • Joint Task Force North detachment5 Yellowknife, Northwest Territories • Joint Taskforce North (JTFN)6 • 440 Transport Squadron; • The Yellowknife Company; • 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group; and • Area Support Unit (North) • 366 DND personnel: 52 rangers, 314 military members from Join Task Force North7 • “Canada’s Department of National Defence [DND] is planning on spending over $50 million to build a 7,600 square metre facility in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, though the location has not yet been selected.”