U.S. Army Trains for Arctic Warfare During NATO Cold Response 26 in Norway.

U.S. Army and Norwegian defense officials confirmed that American forces will play a central role in Exercise Cold Response 26, a major NATO winter drill set for March across northern Norway. The exercise tests the Alliance’s ability to deploy and sustain combat power in Arctic conditions as NATO expands its footprint in the Nordic region.

Preparations are accelerating across northern Norway as U.S. Army and Norwegian defense officials confirm a significant American role in Exercise Cold Response 26, a large-scale NATO winter warfare drill scheduled for March. Announced by the U.S. Army on January 22, the Norway-led exercise will involve more than 25,000 troops from twelve allied nations, including roughly 3,000 U.S. Marines deploying from the continental United States to train alongside Norwegian and allied units in one of Europe’s most demanding operational environments.
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U.S. Army units train for Arctic warfare in Norway during NATO’s Cold Response 26, testing cold-weather combat skills and mobility. (Picture source: US DoD)

U.S. participation centers on forces from II Marine Expeditionary Force, with major elements drawn from the 2nd Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. These units deploy across the Atlantic and integrate upon arrival with Norwegian formations, emphasizing reception, staging, onward movement, and integration procedures under winter constraints. Training areas around Setermoen and other northern locations expose Marines to deep snow, mountainous terrain, limited daylight, and sub zero temperatures, all factors that impose friction on maneuver, sustainment, and command and control. The intent is not novelty, but repetition under stress, building familiarity with Arctic warfare conditions that remain rare for many NATO formations.

Although Cold Response 26 is primarily a ground-focused exercise, U.S. participation extends well beyond infantry and armor. The U.S. Navy contributes P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, a platform equipped with the AN APY-10 multi-mode radar optimized for anti-submarine and surface surveillance, capable of detecting and tracking contacts across wide swaths of the Norwegian Sea. With an endurance exceeding eight hours on station, the P-8 supports maritime domain awareness and coordination with allied naval forces operating in cold and contested waters. Naval Construction Battalion detachments, commonly known as Seabees, also deploy to provide expeditionary engineering, focusing on airfield repair, shelter construction, and infrastructure support critical in austere Arctic basing.

Air components further illustrate the joint nature of the U.S. commitment. The U.S. Air Force fields F-35A Lightning II fighters, whose AN APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar and distributed aperture system allow pilots to detect and share targeting data across multiple domains via Link 16 and the Multifunction Advanced Data Link. Aerial refueling support comes from KC-135 Stratotankers, extending fighter endurance over long distances typical of the Nordic theater. Rotary and tiltrotor assets, including HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters and CV-22 Osprey aircraft, add personnel recovery and long range insertion capabilities, while MC-130J Commando II aircraft enable special operations infiltration and resupply in low visibility conditions.

On the ground, U.S. Army elements from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command deliver bulk fuel and logistics capacity, an often overlooked but decisive factor in cold weather operations where fuel consumption rises sharply. Frozen terrain affects vehicle mobility, maintenance cycles lengthen, and supply lines stretch across narrow road networks vulnerable to weather disruption. Cold Response 26 deliberately stresses these systems, forcing U.S. and allied logisticians to adapt sustainment plans while supporting dispersed combat units.

The exercise places U.S. Marines within a Norwegian-led defensive framework, emphasizing combined arms maneuver, joint fires coordination, and distributed command and control. Marine units operate as part of a Marine Air Ground Task Force, integrating infantry, artillery, aviation, and logistics under a single commander, while synchronizing with Norwegian brigades and NATO headquarters. Command and control architectures are tested in degraded environments, where terrain masks sensors and cold impacts electronics, compelling commanders to balance digital networks with analog procedures. The operational effect sought is credible reinforcement, demonstrating that U.S. forces can deploy rapidly, integrate seamlessly, and sustain combat power in support of allied defense plans in the High North.

Beyond the training value, Cold Response 26 carries broader geopolitical weight. The Arctic and Nordic regions attract growing strategic attention as Russia continues to invest in military infrastructure across its northern flank, from air bases to missile and radar sites. At the same time, NATO’s enlargement to include Finland and Sweden reshapes the regional security map, extending alliance territory and responsibilities deep into the High North. By committing substantial U.S. forces to a Norwegian-led exercise, Washington signals continued engagement in European collective defense, reinforcing deterrence through presence rather than rhetoric. Cold Response 26 thus serves as a practical demonstration of allied cohesion, underscoring that the northern approaches to Europe are no longer peripheral, but integrated into NATO’s core defense calculus.