A U.S. Marine Corps rifle company has been airlifted in the Arctic by a joint French-German air transport squadron for the first time.
The operation saw Marines from Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, transported from Bardufoss, Norway, to Rovaniemi, Finland, on 11 March. The airlift involved two German-operated KC-130J aircraft from the Binational Air Transport Squadron (BATS), alongside a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J from VMGR-252 based in North Carolina.
BATS, established in 2022 and based in Évreux, France, is a combined French-German unit comprising around 300 personnel. The squadron operates as a fully integrated formation and conducts training in a range of environments, including Arctic conditions, to support NATO operations.
A BATS pilot said: “We are a young and ‘one of a kind’ squadron. [CORE26] is a great opportunity to benefit from training alongside NATO-allies in a joint and combined training approach.” The pilot added: “The BATS is capable of operating world-wide, in all climatic zones and under a wide range of operating conditions. We have proven that in the recent years. Anytime, anywhere is our motto, and we live it.”
Following arrival in Finland, the Marines linked up with equipment delivered separately by Combat Logistics Battalion 6, which had completed a multi-day convoy across Norway, Sweden and Finland. The coordinated air and ground movement enabled the unit to integrate with Sweden’s 4th Mechanised Brigade ahead of a force-on-force exercise.
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Rich Webb, a KC-130J pilot and Weapons and Tactics Instructor with VMGR-252, said: “As we continue to shape the future of distributed aviation operations and manoeuvre warfare, long-range assault support platforms will play an increasingly pivotal role. This flight underscored the vital importance of fostering enduring partnerships.” He added, “It was an absolute privilege to fly alongside our German counterparts during this insertion. These integration flights exemplify how deliberate joint planning and seamless execution transform two capable units into a unified, effective team.”
The mission was coordinated by the Combined Air Operations Centre in Bodø, Norway, which oversees air operations across the Nordic region and High North. Officials said the operation demonstrated how allied air and ground forces can rapidly project combat power into austere environments.
Cold Response 26, led by Norway, involves more than 25,000 personnel from over a dozen NATO and partner nations and is designed to test collective defence and interoperability in Arctic conditions.
