Danish F-35s land in Greenland for first time in major NATO Arctic drill

Two Royal Danish Air Force F-35A fighters landed at Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) in western Greenland on September 16, 2026, the first time Danish F-35s have touched down on the island. 

According to the Danish Armed Forces, that the two aircraft came down at the Joint Arctic Command facility at Kangerlussuaq alongside four US F-16s and two Canadian F-18s, following a multinational training mission flown over Greenland. 

A Royal Danish Air Force F-35A is marshalled in front of the Joint Arctic Command facility at Kangerlussuaq Airport, Greenland. (Credit: Danish Armed Forces)The Danish fighters have been deployed from Keflavik Air Base in Iceland, a rotation site NATO allies have used for Icelandic air policing and Arctic tasking, most recently by Sweden, which sent Gripens there in February and March 2026. The US and Canadian fighters flew from Goose Bay in Canada. Each formation covered several hundred kilometers to meet over Greenland, according to the release. 

A French Airbus A330 MRTT refueled the Danish fighters on the leg from Iceland. Airspace surveillance and coordination was handled by a NATO airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft, and a Danish Challenger provided search and rescue cover. 

A Danish F-35 pilot, identified by the callsign PLA, said in the release: “We are fundamentally training the ability to synchronize the effort of many aircraft from different nations and bases spread over large distances. There are many cogs in motion for an operation like this to be carried out safely and as planned.” 

Long distances and few diversion options complicate Arctic operations 

The Danish Armed Forces said Arctic operations place particular demands on crews and planning, with fast-changing weather, long transits and few suitable places to divert. Much of the work on a mission of this kind is completed before the aircraft take off. 

Danish F-16s had previously been stationed at Kangerlussuaq for Arctic training and operations. Denmark retired that fleet on January 18, 2026, leaving the F-35A as its only fighter. Danish F-35s had flown patrols along Greenland’s east coast from Keflavik, but had not landed on the island. 

The training falls under Arctic Sentry, which NATO describes as an enhanced vigilance activity intended to strengthen the alliance’s posture in the Arctic and High North. Launched in February 2026 and led by Joint Force Command Norfolk, it has since framed allied activity across the region, including a trilateral operation on the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen that ran from August 26 to September 4, 2026. 

The exercise comes amid lingering tensions between Copenhagen and Washington over Greenland’s sovereignty. On January 17, 2026, US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on eight NATO allies over their opposition to his proposed acquisition of the island, before withdrawing the threat four days later. 

He renewed his call for US control in July and, in September, posted a map depicting Greenland and other territories under the American flag, drawing criticism from Denmark and a diplomatic protest from Iceland. 

Denmark has since expanded its Arctic force structure, committing more than 88 billion Danish kroner ($13.7 billion) across two 2025 defense agreements, including maritime surveillance drones and two Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The post Danish F-35s land in Greenland for first time in major NATO Arctic drill appeared first on AeroTime.

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