U.S. NORAD deploys aircraft to Greenland’s Pituffik Space Base amid ongoing Arctic sovereignty crisis.

On January 19, 2026, the NORAD confirmed that aircraft would deploy to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, as part of a pre-planned operational cycle coordinated with forces in the United States and Canada, as well as with existing agreements with Denmark and Greenland authorities.

On January 19, 2026, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed that its aircraft will soon be deployed at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. The activity is part of a pre-planned operational cycle coordinated with forces in the United States and Canada. NORAD stated the deployment is conducted under existing agreements with Denmark and with prior notification to Greenland authorities, with no connection to any change in U.S. regional posture.
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The NORAD’s airborne defense forces consist of fighter jets such as the U.S. F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, as well as Canadian CF-18 Hornets, all kept on quick reaction alert for intercept missions. (Picture source: NORAD)

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed that its aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland to support a set of long-planned activities linked to the defense of North America. The announcement specifies that these aircraft movements are scheduled in coordination with aircraft already operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, situating the Greenland deployment inside an existing operational cycle. NORAD explicitly tied the activity to enduring defense cooperation involving the United States, Canada, and the Kingdom of Denmark, framing the arrival as part of established arrangements rather than a new initiative.

The first operational details provided concern coordination and authorization rather than force composition. NORAD stated that the activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark and that all supporting forces are operating with the requisite diplomatic clearances, confirming that permissions for flight activity and basing are already in place. The statement also noted that the Government of Greenland has been informed of the planned activities in advance, indicating that local authorities are aware of the upcoming operations at Pituffik. No specific aircraft types, squadron names, or arrival dates beyond January 19, 2026 were disclosed in the announcement, which emphasizes planning, coordination, and notification rather than urgency or escalation.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a bi-national command established on September 12, 1957, jointly led by the United States and Canada and headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. As of January 2026, the command is led by General Gregory M. Guillot of the U.S. Air Force, with Lieutenant General Iain S. Huddleston of the Royal Canadian Air Force serving as Deputy Commander. NORAD’s command is responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning in defense of North America. Its mission includes detecting, tracking, and assessing potential air and missile threats, as well as coordinating responses across its areas of responsibility. The NORAD operates through three regions, Alaska, Canada, and the continental United States, which together cover the full breadth of North American air approaches. This structure allows NORAD to manage activities across large distances while maintaining centralized coordination.

The activities referenced in the January 19, 2026 announcement are described as sustained and dispersed operations, a formulation that reflects how NORAD routinely conducts its mission. Sustained operations indicate continuity over time, while dispersed operations refer to the geographic distribution of forces and missions across multiple locations. According to the statement, such activities can be conducted through one, two, or all three NORAD regions depending on operational needs, allowing flexibility in how assets are employed. In this context, the arrival of aircraft at Pituffik is presented as one element within a broader, ongoing cycle of defensive operations.

The NORAD does not operate a single, organic aircraft fleet and instead integrates aircraft assigned by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Air National Guard, and Royal Canadian Air Force. NORAD aircraft commonly associated with its missions include F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-35 Lightning II, and CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, assigned to air defense alert duties, supported by E-3 Sentry airborne warning aircraft and KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft. Within the framework described in the announcement, aircraft arriving at Pituffik are intended to complement air force units already operating from the continental United States and Canada. This model supports continuous monitoring and response capability across North America.

The Pituffik Space Base is currently the only U.S. military base in Greenland and plays a central role in Arctic and missile warning operations. Located in northwestern Greenland, the base supports space surveillance and early warning functions that feed directly into NORAD’s command and control system. Approximately 150 United States service members and allied personnel are stationed there, and the base operates a long runway capable of supporting a range of military aircraft. Recent plans for the base, which has been operated by the United States Space Force since 2020, include up to $25 million allocated for infrastructure modernization, with a significant portion directed toward runway repairs, ensuring continued operational use in harsh Arctic conditions.

The broader Greenland context has added political sensitivity to military activity on the island since late 2024. On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and on December 23, 2024, he renewed and amplified its earlier public statements asserting that U.S. ownership or control of Greenland was a national security necessity. Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and its strategic Arctic location gives it relevance for missile warning, air defense, and access to northern routes. Denmark and Greenland both publicly rejected any proposal to alter sovereignty and reaffirmed their joint authority over the territory.

Against this backdrop, military movements involving Greenland have been closely examined for political significance. Within this environment, NORAD’s emphasis on long-planned activities, coordination with Denmark, diplomatic clearances, and notification of Greenland authorities serves to separate routine defense operations from the wider political debate. The announcement avoids linking the aircraft arrival to territorial disputes or crisis escalation, instead situating it within established defense cooperation and regular operational practice. For NORAD, this distinction is central to understanding how the current activity fits into both the security architecture of the Arctic and the ongoing political discussion surrounding Greenland’s status.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.