The U.S. military is still in the early phases of developing what its military footprint will look long term in Greenland but the department is looking to break ground on new facilities next year.
President Donald Trump has frequently highlighted the important role Greenland plays in American defense given its geography and proximity to the Arctic, and the agreement, which he announced last month, was the culmination of more than a year of sporadic demands from the American president regarding the strategically located island.
“We should have some level of initial capability we would hope by next year,” a senior defense official said at a Defense Writers Group event on Tuesday, referencing the president’s announcement that the United States would be standing up two new military bases in Greenland.
“Right now, we’re in a planning cycle because we’re going to run out of execution window from a weather perspective to do anything almost immediately,” the official said.
The agreement between the U.S., Greenland, and Denmark included a provision permitting the U.S. to establish additional bases in Narsarsuaq, which is in southern Greenland, and Mestersvig, which is on the east coast. There is already a 6,000-foot gravel runway in Mestersvig, the official noted, highlighting that existing infrastructure and resources will factor into their plans.
“The thing that combatant commanders, when I talk to them, the thing they want most is they tell me they want options. They need strategic options that, if called upon or if we needed to move forces to somewhere in the globe,” the official said.
Prior to the deal, the U.S. military had one military base in Greenland, in the north, which is Pituffik Space Base, and it’s the Pentagon’s northernmost base anywhere in the world. There are approximately 150 U.S. service members stationed there.
The weather will be a significant factor the military will have to plan around as they strategize how to expand their current presence. In the southern part of Greenland, there are roughly 300 available days annually where the two coldest months make these projects unable to move forward, whereas up north, near Pituffik, is only available “a few months” a year.
The official noted there is “a very detailed investment strategy” for Pituffik that will include “radar system upgrades, the energy system upgrades, hangar upgrades, all of that are things that we’re definitely working on.” The expectation is these upgrades will start next year “as the weather window reopens.”
Pituffik Space Base is a critical military installation as it serves as a primary early detection warning system should a U.S. adversary try to attack the continental U.S. Due to geography, it’s believed an attack from a foreign adversary would come over the Arctic.
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“The critical nature of what Pituffik does, not only from a space but strategic warning perspective cannot be overstated, and how important that is,” the official said. “But right now it is really focused on trying to build out those options, so that now we have this balanced approach about things. Look, if and let’s pray this never happens, but should something ever happen, it’s going to go over Greenland. Most of the things that are going to fly are going to fly over Greenland.”
Trump tried to force Greenland to capitulate to his pressure to give the U.S. additional access, which drove a wedge between the U.S. and many of its European allies.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
