US Marines hold Arctic drills on Jan Mayen — Defense News
The US Marine Corps, together with Norwegian and British military personnel, conducted Operation Atlantic City exercises on the remote Norwegian Arctic island of Jan Mayen. The Norway-led maneuvers ran from August 26 to September 4, 2026, and marked the second consecutive year that US Marines took part in exercises on the island, Defense News reports.
During the exercises, the military practiced rapidly deploying forces and equipment to remote, harsh terrain, joint employment of firepower, maritime domain awareness, and limiting an adversary's ability to use nearby sea lanes. The US Marine Corps called the operation the first instance of rapidly deploying military resources to remote and harsh terrain.
Deployment of equipment
At the beginning of the operation, a US Air Force C-17 military transport aircraft delivered a US Navy containerized launch system with four launch cells for anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles to Trondheim. US and British cargo aircraft also transported US Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, Norway's National Maneuver Air Defense System, and the Australian Strikemaster anti-ship missile system, operated by US Marines, to Jan Mayen.
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The equipment was moved around the island to test the military's ability to position and protect resources in difficult terrain. The platforms were also used to transmit targeting data and provide communications between dispersed weapons systems and command posts. Separately, participants tested the delivery of medical supplies using an aerial drone.
NATO's focus on the Arctic
Jan Mayen is located about 620 miles from mainland Norway, has an active volcano, and is partially covered by glaciers. The island hosts several dozen Norwegian military personnel and employees of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. A Norwegian official described the surrounding waters as important for the security of international maritime communications and transatlantic supply routes.
The exercises took place simultaneously with NATO's Northern Viking maneuvers, devoted to the defense of Iceland and sea lanes between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. They were part of the Arctic Sentry initiative, which the Alliance links to increased military activity by the Russian Federation, an aggressor state, and China's interest in the Arctic. NATO also expresses concern over the possibility of disruption to critical infrastructure, including undersea cables in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.
