The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines conduct arctic parachuting

U.S. Marines with Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, discuss their plan prior to an operation during Exercise Trident Juncture 18 at Vaernes Air Station, Norway, on October 31, 2018. Trident Juncture 18 demonstrates the II Marine Expeditionary Forces’ ability to deploy, employ, and redeploy the Marine Air Ground Task Force while improving interoperability with […]

The Pic of the Day: Ice rescue training in the Arctic Ocean

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Wells pulls himself out of the Arctic Ocean during ice rescue training on October 3, 2018, about 715 miles north of Barrow, Alaska. Wells is a crew member aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB-20) and participated in ice rescue training in order to qualify as a […]

Things are getting real: How the 75th Ranger Regiment prepares to fight in the Arctic

As the unconventional conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan draw to a close and the U.S. military again turns its gaze toward nation-level threats, the 75th Ranger Regiment prepares for a conflict in the Arctic. The Regiment sent almost 30 Rangers from across its three line battalions to attend the Cold Weather Operations Course (CWOC), at […]

The Pic of the Day: Training for Arctic combat

Paratroopers huddle to protect a mock casualty from the rotor wash of a landing UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The exercise, conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage, Alaska on February 20th, included U.S. Army Paratroopers with the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne), 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), and 25th Infantry Division, U.S. […]

The Pic of the Day: US Army paratroopers train for Arctic combat

U.S. Army paratroopers set up an M119 105 mm howitzer at Malemute Drop Zone while conducting an airborne forced-entry operation at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, on January 16, 2019. The paratroopers are with Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. They joined paratroopers from 1st […]

Claiming the Arctic: Russia to begin sending intercept fighters on North Pole patrols

For the first time since the Cold War, Russia has announced plans to begin flying regular fighter patrols over the North Pole with an eye toward intercepting American military aircraft. According to sources within the Russian Ministry of Defense, two squadrons of MiG-31BM intercept fighters will be tasked with conducting routine patrol operations over the […]

Claiming the Arctic: Russia to begin sending intercept fighters on North Pole patrols

For the first time since the Cold War, Russia has announced plans to begin flying regular fighter patrols over the North Pole with an eye toward intercepting American military aircraft. According to sources within the Russian Ministry of Defense, two squadrons of MiG-31BM intercept fighters will be tasked with conducting routine patrol operations over the […]

The Pic of the Day: This is what a mile-deep hole in Antarctic ice looks like

Per the British Antarctic Survey press release: “A team of scientists and engineers has for the first time successfully drilled over two kilometres through the ice sheet in West Antarctica using hot water. This research will help understand how the region will respond to a warming climate. The 11-person team has been working on the […]