More than 25,000 personnel from over a dozen NATO nations have taken part in a major Arctic exercise spanning Norway, Sweden and Finland, as allied forces tested their ability to operate in high-intensity scenarios in extreme conditions.
Exercise Cold Response 26, led by Norway, brought together air, land and maritime forces to rehearse collective defence operations in the High North, with activity focused on interoperability, rapid deployment and sustainment in cold-weather environments.
Air operations saw US F-35A aircraft from RAF Lakenheath operating alongside Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s, while Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Swedish JAS 39 Gripens expanded the multinational air picture and integration across allied fleets.
These missions included complex scenarios such as night operations and multi-domain coordination, with aerial refuelling provided by KC-135 tankers from RAF Mildenhall extending the reach and endurance of participating aircraft.
Additional capability was provided by HC-130J aircraft and HH-60W helicopters conducting combat search and rescue training, including personnel recovery missions in austere Arctic terrain alongside Swedish units, with activities ranging from hoist operations to simulated extractions.
Across the exercise, forces operated from multiple locations in the Nordic region, with maintainers supporting sustained flight operations despite freezing temperatures, high winds and snow, ensuring aircraft remained mission-capable throughout. Lt. Col. Dustin Merritt, a US Air Force squadron commander, said the exercise enabled allies to “practice and integrate… from mission planning to the actual execution,” while Capt. Jeff Chae, a KC-135 pilot, described the activity as strengthening coordination and communication across NATO partners.
