By David Prior, 16 January 2026
Today things appear to be moving along faster in Greenland (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoi2yOK2xLQ minute 3:05). Now that immediate military 'exercises' in Greenland have begun, this may be a good time to talk about the next phase. To truly secure all Greenland's airports, harbours and significant infrastructure against American invasion forces will take a very large, permanent defensive force in Greenland. This means building on the current special forces 'exercises' in Greenland this week by making large scale training and exercises permanent to select countries (no USA or Hungary). At one point the United States had many bases along the Greenland coast. This should never be allowed in the future. Threatening to invade Greenland has voided past agreements. Those locations should be permanent training and exercise bases for a New NATO. The current US base should be severely limited in size and capability. The USA is fast in retreat on the world stage so that should be achievable.
The only economical way to do this, and to bring maximum economic benefits to Greenland (which is critical), is to stop reacting to emergencies and start investing in permanent facilities. They don't have to be fancy, just well-insulated and solid (large quonset huts are ideal, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO4eRciFu3Y ). In today's world of weapons, convoys by sea or by air will never get through if hostilities begin. It will just be an unpredictable shooting gallery. Storing all the required logistics and weapons in Greenland probably won't cost any more than storing them in Europe. It also means that a very large floating base utilizing a decommissioned Capesize bulk carrier to react to an emergency won't be necessary. A further benefit of a large permanent European force in Greenland training in Arctic warfare means that the threat of invasion will be always contained.
Perhaps someone should write a piece for Canadian Naval Review on why reliance on convoys by sea or by air in 21st century hostilities against a diminished or emerging superpower won't succeed. This addresses what will happen to RCN large amphibious expeditionary vessels when they try to eject American, Chinese or Russian troops from the Arctic. The current mindset of a fast response to an immediate threat only works reliably against militarily weak opponents. The United States has learned this fact; yes to Grenada, Panama and Venezuela, no to more Middle Eastern or Asian adventures against economically impoverished countries (Iraq, Vietnam).
Image: USS THOMAS HUDNER transits through the Nuup Kangerlua Fjords in Greenland on August 13, 2020 during Operation NANOOK 20. Credit: MCpl Manuela Berger, Canadian Armed Forces Photo
