Arctic Security Update
A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit takes off to support Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, June 2025.
This week, we explore the Arctic’s role in air defense through:
- The Big Picture: 12-Day War Underscores Urgency of Arctic Missile Defense
- From the Diplomatic Desk: 2025 NATO Summit
- Lat & Long: Greenland Re-Aligned Under NORTHCOM AOR
The Big Picture
The conclusion of the 12-Day War in the Middle East carries far-reaching implications for Arctic security and the broader defense of North America’s northern approaches. While the conflict itself unfolded far from the circumpolar North, the lessons it delivered—on air defense, strategic depth, and alliance coordination—are deeply relevant to Arctic security defense planning.
Iran’s failure to defend its critical infrastructure during Operation Midnight Hammer, in which three nuclear facilities were struck with precision, served as a stark reminder of what can happen in the absence of layered and integrated air defenses. Meanwhile, Israel’s Iron Dome once again proved effective but not invincible—highlighting the reality that even advanced systems can be overwhelmed under massed attack.
Of particular relevance to Arctic security and defense was the successful joint U.S.-Qatari defense of Al Udeid Air Base. Two Patriot batteries engaged an Iranian missile attack in what Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine described as “the largest single Patriot engagement in U.S. military history.” The ability to coordinate air and missile defense at scale—under pressure—reinforces the need for similar capabilities across the Arctic theater, particularly in defense of military bases, early warning systems, and other critical infrastructure. President Trump noted this security cooperation success story at the 2025 NATO Summit and Caine commended U.S. and Qatari troops saying, “these awesome humans, along with their Qatari brothers and sisters in arms, stood between a salvo of Iranian missiles and the safety of Al Udeid.”
The June 24 introduction of the GOLDEN DOME Act, by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) (both members of the Senate Arctic Caucus) authorizing $23 billion to develop a continental missile defense system, could be a watershed moment. For the Arctic, this may signal an expansion of radar arrays, missile interceptors, and security cooperation with Canada.
In an era of long-range precision strike threats—from peer competitors like Russia and China and rogue actors such as North Korea and Iran—the 12-Day War makes it clear the Arctic is no longer a geographic buffer—it is a front line.
From the Diplomatic Desk
The U.S. Mission to NATO supported a successful summit in the Netherlands on June 24-25. Alliance partners agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP in the next 10 years. Of that, 3.5 % is for core military expenditures while up to 1.5% can be dedicated to security and defense infrastructure, including elements such as cybersecurity, infrastructure, and industry. As the U.S. Ambassador to NATO remarked, “This isn’t just spending, it’s about building real military power, a stronger industrial base, interoperability that lasts a generation.”
This commitment, coupled with NATO’s renewed focus on expanding the defense industrial base, as noted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, may translate into increased Arctic security capabilities across the Alliance given the challenges posed by Arctic operations.
Lat & Long
Last month, the DoD announced Greenland’s re-alignment from U.S. European Command (EUCOM) to U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM). “This change reflects President Trump’s focus on Arctic security and will strengthen our ability to defend the U.S. homeland,” according to Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson. The integration of Greenland into USNORTHCOM area of responsibility emphasizes its role in the defense of the North American continent and highlights the necessity of continued effective defense and security cooperation between Arctic Allies Canada and Denmark.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for the next update. In the meantime, follow the TSC on LinkedIn or check us out online.
