By Sirichat. Camphol @Adobe Stock
The U.S. military is preparing for potential Arctic conflicts as declining sea ice opens new trade routes and resources. In response, the Army and Marine Corps recently released their first Arctic Warfare manual in over 50 years to regain the cold-weather combat skills lost over time. U.S. forces are ramping up training at Alaska’s Northern Warfare Training Center and participating in winter wargames alongside NATO allies in Finland. This renewed focus on Arctic warfare is critical as Russia and China strengthen their presence in the region, and the U.S. strives to remain competitive in this increasingly strategic environment. As James Clark of Task & Purpose reports, these efforts highlight the need for the U.S. military to adapt to a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. Clark writes:
The U.S. military is bracing for the possibility that it may have to fight a literal cold war, and there are concerns that the perishable skills needed to succeed in that environment have expired.
That might explain why earlier this year, the Army and Marine Corps worked together to publish their first official Arctic Warfare manual in over 50 years. As with other military publications on doctrine, it’s dense. The 267-page manual covers the nitty-gritty of cold weather combat like ambushes and evacuations, but it also hits on other more off-beat scenarios, like how chaplains can keep their wine warm for religious ceremonies and a warning that Army bands shouldn’t perform outside in the frozen wasteland of the Arctic because, well, it’s very freaking cold.
To prepare for that, U.S. forces are relearning the fundamentals of cold weather combat, like how to build military-grade skis for Apaches and rotating units through crash courses at the Northern Warfare Training Center in Alaska. For more advanced lessons, the Army is sending units to winter wargames alongside NATO allies in Finland, putting their skills to the test against soldiers who know the ins and outs of fighting in the extreme cold.
Meanwhile, Russia is boosting its Arctic capabilities with the completion of the Yakutia, a Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker. After finishing its final sea trials, the Yakutia has departed the Baltic Shipyard for its homeport in Murmansk, according to Baird Maritime. As the fourth vessel in the Project 22220 series, it is part of Russia’s effort to modernize its aging icebreaker fleet. At 173.3 meters long and weighing 33,000 tonnes, the Yakutia is one of the largest icebreakers ever built and will primarily operate in Russia’s western Arctic regions for the next 40 years. Baird writes:
Yakutia had completed undergoing its final series of necessary tests late last month and is now ready to deploy operationally. The vessel’s journey will see it transit the Baltic Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Barents Sea, and finally Kola Bay where it will be moored.
In response to growing concerns over Arctic competition, former President Donald Trump, shortly after his second inauguration, revived his push to expand the U.S. icebreaking fleet. He announced plans to order “about 40 big icebreakers,” coinciding with an incident in the Great Lakes where two aging U.S. icebreaking tugs failed to free a Canadian cargo ship trapped in ice—until a Canadian vessel intervened. As Craig Hooper of Forbes pointed out, this highlights the urgent need for a robust icebreaking capacity in the U.S., particularly as rising Arctic competition and harsh winter conditions threaten both national security and economic stability.
President Donald Trump is continuing his first-term focus on building a big, new American icebreaker fleet. Days after his second inauguration, the president broke from a North Carolina hurricane-recovery briefing and made a surprise announcement that, “we’re going to order about 40 big icebreakers.” […]
With the local Coast Guard ship—icebreaking tug Bristol Bay (WTGB 102)—not up to the task of breaking thick, wind-blown harbor ice on its own, a second American icebreaking tug, the Neah Bay (WTGB 105), was called in. Nothing worked. Later, as the weather improved, a more robust icebreaker, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Samuel Risley, finally managed to free the ship. A few lakes away, America’s sole purpose-built fresh water icebreaker, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw (WLBB 30), cut a maintenance availability short to rumble into action.
The multi-day effort to free the Manitoulin is a big deal, reinforcing industry-driven concerns that the Great Lakes requires better icebreaking support to be competitive in the 21st Century. According to the Lake Carriers’ Association, inadequate icebreaking resources in the Great Lakes, can, in a single tough season, inflict up to a billion dollars of damage to the U.S. economy and cost about 5,000 jobs.
Source: US Coast Guard – MAJOR ICEBREAKERS OF THE WORLD. Russia is the sole country currently operating a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers.
This increasing competition in the Arctic, coupled with the strategic importance of Greenland, has sparked new conversations about the region’s future. Aaron Brady of War on the Rocks reports that Greenland’s strategic value, both in terms of its mineral resources and military significance, is increasingly recognized, particularly by the U.S. While acquiring political control may not be ideal, Greenland’s role in Arctic and North Atlantic security cannot be overlooked. Brady suggests that the U.S. should integrate Greenland into a broader geostrategic framework, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic through investments in infrastructure, sensors, and military basing. These improvements, in partnership with Denmark, would significantly boost U.S. and NATO security. However, as Brady warns, ignoring Greenland’s potential risks leaving a dangerous gap that adversaries could exploit, making it clear that neglecting such opportunities could have dire consequences for Arctic stability and global security. Brady writes:
Today, Greenland’s value needs no exaggeration. Its mineral wealth is well-understood, certainly by some in Washington, who seek to acquire the island — a Danish territory. Some of the same voices also promote Greenland’s military value. Gaining political control of the island may, in fact, be a bad deal for the United States, but Washington cannot afford to ignore Greenland’s importance to Arctic and North Atlantic security.
The 2024 Defense Arctic Strategy of monitor-and-respond is insufficiently resourced for competition and not viable for conflict. A geostrategic view shows that the United States should view the Arctic as a connective region with important military ramifications for Europe and the Indo-Pacific, rather than as a separate theater. The United States should re-imagine its strategic framework to view its geostrategic position as a large “line of contact” extending from the South China Sea, over the Arctic, to the Black Sea. Greenland is a linchpin in this framework, providing basing and sensor opportunities permissible by the 1951 Defense of Greenland treaty, with Danish concurrence. Modest investments in sensors and bases in Greenland would significantly enhance America’s strategic Arctic position. […]
Greenland is a strategic linchpin in the Arctic, offering the US significant opportunities to enhance security and power projection. Peace through strength around the world requires creating a broader geostrategic vision with an Arctic framework connecting the Pacific and Atlantic. Greenland is important terrain which should be integrated into this framework. Establishing autonomous air and maritime surveillance, improving infrastructure, and leveraging Greenland’s position for force deployment will bolster America’s and NATO’s security. These improvements do not require altering Greenland’s political status and could be supported through partnerships with Denmark. However, the biggest challenge is funding. As the United States prioritizes competition with China, Arctic investments risk being sidelined. Yet failing to act creates a dangerous gap that adversaries are preparing to exploit. American cost-effective investments now in the strategic potential of Greenland can secure a dominant position in the Arctic, simultaneously protecting the homeland and global interests.
Read more here.
Together, these developments signal a new era of Arctic competition—one where military readiness, strategic infrastructure, and geopolitical foresight will determine who leads in the rapidly evolving High North. For the U.S., maintaining an edge means acting now, before rivals exploit the gaps.
Also read: U.S. Coast Guard Admiral: Potential Russian ‘Checkmate’ in the Arctic, Russia’s Arctic UAVs: A Chilling Military Advantage, Russia and China Tighten Grip on Arctic: A Warning to the West, The Arctic Buildup: A New Cold War, Coast Guard Faces Challenges in Expanding Icebreaker Fleet, Dangerous Forecast for Shipping Routes, and Russia Showcases New Arctic Military Vehicles at Red Square Parade.
