Maj. Dylan Flynn and Capt. Jeff Weingast, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots assigned to the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, taxi their aircraft on the flightline during Operation NOBLE DEFENDER at Pittufik Space Base, Greenland, Jan. 31, 2025. Operation NOBLE DEFENDER is an air defense operation under the direction of the North American Aerospace Defense Command designed to demonstrate the command’s ability to defend the approaches of North America from current and future threats while integrating across domains with partners and allies. NORAD routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in defense of North America through one or all three NORAD regions, include Alaska, Canada and the continental U.S. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ruano)
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Airmen from across North American Aerospace Defense Command deployed with fighters, tankers, and more to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland in recent weeks for a bitterly cold exercise.
From Jan. 28 to Feb. 11, more than 125 personnel participated in Operation Noble Defender, braving subfreezing temperatures that got as low as -29 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -56 degrees, according to a release.
NORAD noted in its release that the exercise brought together personnel and aircraft from all three of its regions: Alaska, Canada, and the continental U.S. Participating aircraft included F-16s, KC-135s, and E-3s from the U.S. Air Force, as well as CF-18s, C-150s and CH-149s from the Royal Canadian Air Force.
“Over the last three weeks, our integrated American and Canadian NORAD teams have demonstrated the ability to operate at the highest level in one of the most austere environments in the world,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Shemo, commander of the 41st Air Expeditionary Group. “I am immensely proud of them and their dedication to this mission and appreciate the close cooperation from the Kingdom of Denmark as we train for the defense of Canada and the United States across all domains.”
According to released images, the F-16s came from the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron out of Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and the KC-135s from the 50th Air Refueling Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
The point of the exercise is to demonstrate and work on NORAD’s “ability to defend the approaches of North America from current and future threats, maintain mission readiness in diverse and challenging environments, and to preserve capacity for follow-on operations,” the command release stated.
NORAD previously announced the F-16s had deployed to Greenland the same day as U.S. Air Force F-35s and Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18s conducted combat air patrols in response to Russian military aircraft operating in the Arctic. F-35s also deployed to Greenland for the 2023 edition of Noble Defender.
The exercise comes as experts and U.S. military officials have warned that Russia remains interested in the so-called GIUK gap—the region including Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. NORAD boss Gen. Gregory M. Guillot said in March 2024 that Russian bombers flew through the region for the first time in years. President Donald Trump has also emphasized the strategic importance of Greenland, saying he would like to acquire the self-governing territory from Denmark.
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
Vital infrastructure at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, is suffering due to years of deferred maintenance and climate-related stressors, government auditors said in a new report—two prominent examples of larger issues affecting bases worldwide.
A small civilian plane carrying eight people and contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crashed Aug. 20 near a remote Alaskan radar site managed by the Air Force in support of NORAD, killing all aboard.
Some 50 miles from the border with North Korea, U.S. and South Korean forces recently executed their first counter-drone defense drills targeting medium-sized systems, which the North Korean military has has prioritized based on Russia and Iranian models.
A frayed wire likely triggered stray voltage to shut off a fuel valve, causing the catastrophic loss of an MQ-9 Reaper drone last August, according to a new Air Force investigation report.
The Air Force plans to put new F-15EX Eagle II fighters at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., to replace older F-15E Strike Eagles that will move to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.
Shield AI, a specialist vying to provide the autonomy software for the Air Force’s autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has won government backing for its X-BAT drone—but not from USAF.
A major U.S. Southern Command exercise this month brought representatives from 10 Latin American countries to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., for the air component of the event, with a focus on intelligence sharing for coordinating air operations.
The Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit hosted a change of command ceremony recently, another sign of how the CCA concept is maturing and becoming entrenched in the Air Force’s structure, to the point where exercises have generated multiple sorties in a single day to simulate high-tempo combat operations.
Search and rescue Airmen from Nellis Air Base, Nev., flew more than 200 miles in two HH-60W Jolly Green IIs last week to rescue five of their Navy helicopter crew counterparts who were forced to land in mountainous terrain near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif.
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