RAF C-17 lands at world’s northernmost settlement

A Royal Air Force C-17A Globemaster has landed at Canadian Forces Station Alert, the world’s most northerly permanently inhabited settlement, during a joint resupply mission with Canada in the High Arctic, the RAF have announced.

The aircraft deployed as part of Exercise Polar Puma under Operation Boxtop, supporting efforts to deliver essential supplies to the remote site, located around 1,100 miles inside the Arctic Circle at 82.5 degrees north.

CFS Alert plays a role in signals intelligence and climate research and is accessible only by air for most of the year. The station’s runway, made of compacted snow and gravel, is significantly shorter than standard airstrips and presents operational challenges for heavy transport aircraft.

RAF crews from 99 Squadron, operating out of RAF Brize Norton via Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland, conducted multiple sorties into Alert. Over the course of the deployment, eight flights delivered nearly 300,000 litres of fuel to support operations at the site.

Flight Lieutenant Mike Chandler, a pilot with 99 Squadron, said in the RAF update: “Flying into the High Arctic is demanding, especially when the weather can change on a dime, but that’s exactly why this activity is so important.”

He added: “Working with our Canadian colleagues has shown just how closely our air forces operate together. The C-17 performs superbly in these conditions, and it’s a real privilege to contribute to a mission that is so vital to sustaining operations at Alert.”

The mission was conducted alongside the Royal Canadian Air Force, which routinely supplies the station with fuel and equipment. The operation also included closer integration between UK and Canadian personnel, with mixed crews flying on each other’s aircraft and joint work across engineering and logistics functions.

Air Commodore James, Commander Air Mobility Force, said: “This is a powerful demonstration of the RAF’s reach, readiness, and capability.” He added: “Operating thousands of miles from the UK, in the extreme cold and with limited infrastructure, proves that we can generate operational air mobility wherever it is needed.”